title: Annotation of the pRhico plasmid of Azospirillum brasilense reveals its role in determining the outer surface composition.
abstract: The plant growth-promoting soil bacterium Azospirillum brasilense enhances growth of economically important crops, such as wheat, corn and rice. In order to improve plant growth, a close bacterial association with the plant roots is needed. Genes encoded on a 90-MDa plasmid, denoted pRhico plasmid, present in A. brasilense Sp7, play an important role in plant root interaction. Sequencing, annotation and in silico analysis of this 90-MDa plasmid revealed the presence of a large collection of genes encoding enzymes involved in surface polysaccharide biosynthesis. Analysis of the 90-MDa plasmid genome provided evidence for its essential role in the viability of the bacterial cell.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanbleu
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lambrecht
authors.forename: Janick
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mathys
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanderleyden
mesh_terms: D015806:Azospirillum brasilense / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005407:Flagella / Q000502:physiology; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000235:genetics; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013430:Sulfate Adenylyltransferase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C075085:nodP protein, Rhizobium; C075082:nodulation protein Q, Rhizobium; D013430:Sulfate Adenylyltransferase