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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2009, p. 4035-4045, Vol. 75, No. 12
0099-2240/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00515-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Rhizobium sp. Strain NGR234 Possesses a Remarkable Number of Secretion Systems{triangledown} ,{dagger}

Christel Schmeisser,1,{ddagger} Heiko Liesegang,2,{ddagger} Dagmar Krysciak,1,{ddagger} Nadia Bakkou,3 Antoine Le Quéré,3,§ Antje Wollherr,2 Isabelle Heinemeyer,4 Burkhard Morgenstern,4 Andreas Pommerening-Röser,1 Margarita Flores,5 Rafael Palacios,5 Sydney Brenner,6 Gerhard Gottschalk,2 Ruth A. Schmitz,7 William J. Broughton,3* Xavier Perret,3 Axel W. Strittmatter,2,|| and Wolfgang R. Streit1*

Biozentrum Klein Flottbek, Abteilung für Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany,1 Laboratorium für Genomanalyse, Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany,2 Département de Botanique et Biologie Végétale, Université de Genève, 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland,3 Department of Bioinformatics, Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany,4 Centro de Ciencas Genomicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico,5 Salk Institute for Biological Studies Crick-Jacobs Center, P.O. Box 85800, San Diego, California 92186-5800,6 Institut für Allgemeine Mikrobiologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-9, 24118 Kiel, Germany7

Received 2 March 2009/ Accepted 8 April 2009

Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234 is a unique alphaproteobacterium (order Rhizobiales) that forms nitrogen-fixing nodules with more legumes than any other microsymbiont. We report here that the 3.93-Mbp chromosome (cNGR234) encodes most functions required for cellular growth. Few essential functions are encoded on the 2.43-Mbp megaplasmid (pNGR234b), and none are present on the second 0.54-Mbp symbiotic plasmid (pNGR234a). Among many striking features, the 6.9-Mbp genome encodes more different secretion systems than any other known rhizobia and probably most known bacteria. Altogether, 132 genes and proteins are linked to secretory processes. Secretion systems identified include general and export pathways, a twin arginine translocase secretion system, six type I transporter genes, one functional and one putative type III system, three type IV attachment systems, and two putative type IV conjugation pili. Type V and VI transporters were not identified, however. NGR234 also carries genes and regulatory networks linked to the metabolism of a wide range of aromatic and nonaromatic compounds. In this way, NGR234 can quickly adapt to changing environmental stimuli in soils, rhizospheres, and plants. Finally, NGR234 carries at least six loci linked to the quenching of quorum-sensing signals, as well as one gene (ngrI) that possibly encodes a novel type of autoinducer I molecule.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address for W. J. Broughton: Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes Supérieures, Université de Genève, 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland. Phone: (41) 22-3793108. Fax: (41) 22-3793009. E-mail: william.broughton{at}unige.ch. Mailing address for W. R. Streit: Biozentrum Klein Flottbek, Abteilung für Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany. Phone: (49) 40-42816463. Fax: (49) 40-42816-459. E-mail: wolfgang.streit{at}uni-hamburg.de

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 17 April 2009.

{dagger} Supplemental material for this article may be found at http://aem.asm.org/.

{ddagger} C.S., H.L., and D.K. contributed equally to this study.

§ Present address: Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et MéditerranéennesTA A-82/J Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.

|| Present address: Eurofins MWG Operon, Anzinger Strasse 7a, D-85560 Ebersberg, Germany.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2009, p. 4035-4045, Vol. 75, No. 12
0099-2240/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.00515-09
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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