title: Characterization of recA genes and recA mutants of Rhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae.
abstract: DNA fragments carrying the recA genes of Rhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae were isolated by complementing a UV-sensitive recA- Escherichia coli strain. Sequence analysis revealed that the coding region of the R. meliloti recA gene consists of 1044 bp coding for 348 amino acids whereas the coding region of the R. leguminosarum bv. viciae recA gene has 1053 bp specifying 351 amino acids. The R. meliloti and R. leguminosarum bv. viciae recA genes show 84.8% homology at the DNA sequence level and of 90.1% at the amino acid sequence level. recA- mutant strains of both Rhizobium species were constructed by inserting a gentamicin resistance cassette into the respective recA gene. The resulting recA mutants exhibited an increased sensitivity to UV irradiation, were impaired in their ability to perform homologous recombination and showed a slightly reduced growth rate when compared with the respective wild-type strains. The Rhizobium recA strains did not have altered symbiotic nitrogen fixation capacity. Therefore, they represent ideal candidates for release experiments with impaired strains.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Genetik, Universität Bielefeld, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Selbitschka
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: U B
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Priefer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rottschäfer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pühler
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009591:Nitrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D009591:Nitrogenase; D011938:Rec A Recombinases