This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stacey, G Articles by Puvanesarajah, V Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Stacey, G Articles by Puvanesarajah, V Agricola Articles by Stacey, G Articles by Puvanesarajah, V

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 July; 48(1): 68-72

Bacteriophage that can distinguish between wild-type Rhizobium japonicum and a non-nodulating mutant.

ABSTRACT

A bacteriophage (phage TN1) that lyses Rhizobium japonicum 3I1b110 was isolated from Tennessee soil. Structurally, this phage resembles the Escherichia coli phage T4, having an icosahedral head (47 by 60 nm) and a contractile tail (17 by 80 nm). An interesting feature of this phage is that it lyses all of the symbiotic defective mutants derived from R. japonicum 3I1b110 that were tested, except one, mutant strain HS123. Mutant strain HS123 is a non-nodulating mutant that is defective in attachment to soybean roots. Since Rhizobium attachment to host roots is thought to be mediated by a specific cell surface interaction, it is likely that mutant strain HS123 is defective in some way in its cell surface. Mutant strain HS123 bound soybean lectin to the same extent as the wild type as measured by the binding of tritium-labeled lectin. Phage TN1 did not attach to the surface of strain HS123, nor did cells of strain HS123 inactivate phage TN1. A hot phenol-water cell extract from the wild-type inactivated phage TN1, whereas a similar cell extract from mutant HS123 did not. Capsular polysaccharide isolated from mutant or wild type did not inactivate the phage. Capsular polysaccharide and exopolysaccharide from the mutant and wild type do not differ in sugar composition. These results indicate that capsular polysaccharide may not play a role in attachment to the plant root surface and that other cell wall components may be important.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Spears, P. A., Suyemoto, M. M., Palermo, A. M., Horton, J. R., Hamrick, T. S., Havell, E. A., Orndorff, P. E. (2008). A Listeria monocytogenes Mutant Defective in Bacteriophage Attachment Is Attenuated in Orally Inoculated Mice and Impaired in Enterocyte Intracellular Growth. Infect. Immun. 76: 4046-4054 [Abstract] [Full Text]