title: Expression of the bacterial catalase genes during Sinorhizobium meliloti-Medicago sativa symbiosis and their crucial role during the infection process.
abstract: Sinorhizobium meliloti possesses three distinct catalases to cope with oxidative stress: two monofunctional catalases (KatA and KatC) and one bifunctional catalase-peroxydase (KatB). The katB gene is constitutively expressed during growth in batch culture and is not induced under oxidative stress conditions. In contrast, the expression of katA and katC genes is mainly regulated at the transcription level in these conditions. A differential expression of kat genes was observed during the development of the nodule. A high expression of katA gene was detected in bacteroids, suggesting that the nitrogen-fixation process induces a strong oxidative stress. In contrast, bacteria express katB and katC genes and not the H2O2-inducible katA gene in infection threads despite the detection of H2O2 around the bacteria. A katB katC double mutant nodulated poorly and displayed abnormal infection. After nonefficient release into plant cells, bacteria failed to differentiate into bacteroids and rapidly underwent senescence. Our results indicate that these two catalases are essential for the establishment of the symbiosis. They also suggest that the bacteria are in a nonexponential growth phase in infection threads and corroborate previous studies on the growth rate of bacteria inside the plant.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Végétale et Microbiologie, CNRS FRE 2294, Université de Nice Sophia-Antipolis, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice cedex 2, France.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jamet
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sigaud
authors.forename: Ghislaine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van de Sype
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puppo
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hérouart
mesh_terms: D002374:Catalase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009154:Mutation; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016962:Sinorhizobium meliloti / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C102664:hydroperoxidase II; D002374:Catalase; D009195:Peroxidase