Methylobacterium nodulans sp. nov., for a group of aerobic, facultatively methylotrophic, legume root-nodule-forming and nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Data on 72 non-pigmented bacterial strains that specifically induce nitrogen-fixing root nodules on the legume species Crotalaria glaucoides, Crotalaria perrottetii and Crotalaria podocarpa are reviewed. By SDS-PAGE analysis of total protein patterns and by 16S rRNA PCR-RFLP, these strains form a homogeneous group that is separate from other legume root-nodule-forming bacteria. The 16S rRNA gene-based phylogeny indicates that these bacteria belong to the genus Methylobacterium. They can grow on C(1) compounds such as methanol, formate and formaldehyde but not methylamine as sole carbon source, and carry an mxaF gene, encoding methanol dehydrogenase, which supports their methylotrophic metabolism. Presence of a nodA nodulation gene, and ability to nodulate plants of Crotalaria species and to fix nitrogen are features that separate the strains currently included in this group from other members of the genus Methylobacterium. The present study includes additional genotypic and phenotypic characterization of this novel Methylobacterium species, i.e. nifH gene sequence, morphology, physiology, enzymic and carbon source assimilation tests and antibiotic resistance. The name Methylobacterium nodulans sp. nov. (type strain, ORS 2060(T)=CNCM I 2342(T)=LMG 21967(T)) is proposed for this group of root-nodule-forming bacteria.
Jourand
Philippe
P
Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes, UMR 1063, IRD/CIRAD/INRA/Agro-M/UMII, TA 10/J, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier cedex 5, France.
Giraud
Eric
E
Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes, UMR 1063, IRD/CIRAD/INRA/Agro-M/UMII, TA 10/J, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier cedex 5, France.
Béna
Gilles
G
Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes, UMR 1063, IRD/CIRAD/INRA/Agro-M/UMII, TA 10/J, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier cedex 5, France.
Sy
Abdoulaye
A
Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes, UMR 1063, IRD/CIRAD/INRA/Agro-M/UMII, TA 10/J, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier cedex 5, France.
Willems
Anne
A
Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Gent, Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
Gillis
Monique
M
Laboratory of Microbiology, University of Gent, Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
Dreyfus
Bernard
B
Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes, UMR 1063, IRD/CIRAD/INRA/Agro-M/UMII, TA 10/J, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier cedex 5, France.
de Lajudie
Philippe
P
Laboratoire des Symbioses Tropicales et Méditerranéennes, UMR 1063, IRD/CIRAD/INRA/Agro-M/UMII, TA 10/J, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34398 Montpellier cedex 5, France.
D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D029864:Crotalaria / Q000382:microbiology*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D005561:Formates / Q000378:metabolism; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D000432:Methanol / Q000378:metabolism; D008744:Methylamines / Q000378:metabolism; D020580:Methylobacterium / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020543:Proteome; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005561:Formates; D008744:Methylamines; D020543:Proteome; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; C030544:formic acid; D005557:Formaldehyde; C027451:methylamine; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; C019641:alcohol dehydrogenase (acceptor); C029130:nitrogenase reductase; D000217:Acyltransferases; C060770:NodA protein, Rhizobiales; D000432:Methanol