title: Genetic and metabolic divergence within a Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii population recovered from clover nodules.
abstract: Rhizobia are able to establish symbiosis with leguminous plants and usually occupy highly complex soil habitats. The large size and complexity of their genomes are considered advantageous, possibly enhancing their metabolic and adaptive potential and, in consequence, their competitiveness. A population of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii organisms recovered from nodules of several clover plants growing in each other's vicinity in the soil was examined regarding possible relationships between their metabolic-physiological properties and their prevalence in such a local population. Genetic and metabolic variability within the R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii strains occupying nodules of several plants was of special interest, and both types were found to be considerable. Moreover, a prevalence of metabolically versatile strains, i.e., those not specializing in utilization of any group of substrates, was observed by combining statistical analyses of Biolog test results with the frequency of occurrence of genetically distinct strains. Metabolic versatility with regard to nutritional requirements was not directly advantageous for effectiveness in the symbiotic interaction with clover: rhizobia with specialized metabolism were more effective in symbiosis but rarely occurred in the population. The significance of genetic and, especially, metabolic complexity of bacteria constituting a nodule population is discussed in the context of strategies employed by bacteria in competition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-033 Lublin, Poland. jerzy.wielbo@poczta.umcs.lublin.pl
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wielbo
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marek-Kozaczuk
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazur
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kubik-Komar
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skorupska
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D029902:Medicago / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D016961:Rhizobium leguminosarum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D053204:Root Nodules, Plant / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
references.citation: DNA Cell Biol. 2009 Aug;28(8):361-70
references.pmid: 19485766
references.citation: Glycobiology. 2002 Jun;12(6):79R-105R
references.pmid: 12107077
references.citation: Appl Environ Microbiol. 1999 Jun;65(6):2685-90
references.pmid: 10347061
references.citation: Can J Microbiol. 2007 Aug;53(8):957-67
references.pmid: 17898852
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 2005 Nov;187(21):7185-92
references.pmid: 16237002
references.citation: Plasmid. 1978 Sep;1(4):584-8
references.pmid: 107540
references.citation: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003 Mar;69(3):1800-9
references.pmid: 12620873
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 1991 Feb;173(3):1344-6
references.pmid: 1991727
references.citation: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003 Apr;69(4):2276-83
references.pmid: 12676710
references.citation: Annu Rev Plant Biol. 2006;57:233-66
references.pmid: 16669762
references.citation: Genome Res. 2003 Aug;13(8):1810-7
references.pmid: 12902376
references.citation: FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2008 Oct;66(1):3-13
references.pmid: 18507680
references.citation: Annu Rev Genet. 2008;42:413-41
references.pmid: 18983260
references.citation: Plant Physiol. 2007 Jun;144(2):615-22
references.pmid: 17556525
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 2007 Jul;189(14):5223-36
references.pmid: 17496100
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 1991 Apr;173(7):2271-7
references.pmid: 2007551
references.citation: Genome Biol. 2006;7(4):R34
references.pmid: 16640791
references.citation: Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2004 Jun;68(2):280-300
references.pmid: 15187185
references.citation: Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 2001 Jun;14(6):775-84
references.pmid: 11386373
references.citation: PLoS One. 2008 Jul 02;3(7):e2567
references.pmid: 18596979
references.citation: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2000 Jun;66(6):2445-50
references.pmid: 10831423
references.citation: FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2001 Jan;25(1):39-67
references.pmid: 11152940
references.citation: Plant Physiol. 2007 Jun;144(2):604-14
references.pmid: 17556524
references.citation: Plant Physiol. 2003 May;132(1):44-51
references.pmid: 12746510
references.citation: Integr Comp Biol. 2002 Apr;42(2):369-80
references.pmid: 21708730
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 2002 Jan;184(1):171-6
references.pmid: 11741857
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 Sep 1;89(17):8389-93
references.pmid: 1518873
references.citation: Mol Plant Microbe Interact. 2000 Nov;13(11):1163-9
references.pmid: 11059482
references.citation: Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2000 Mar;64(1):180-201
references.pmid: 10704479
references.citation: New Phytol. 2008;179(1):224-235
references.pmid: 18373650
references.citation: Appl Environ Microbiol. 1996 Jun;62(6):2029-36
references.pmid: 8787401
references.citation: Trends Microbiol. 2006 Apr;14(4):161-8
references.pmid: 16520035
references.citation: Plasmid. 2000 Jul;44(1):34-43
references.pmid: 10873525
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 2000 Jun;182(12):3582-6
references.pmid: 10852892
references.citation: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2008 Sep;74(18):5653-61
references.pmid: 18658290
references.citation: Mol Ecol. 2004 Aug;13(8):2435-44
references.pmid: 15245415
references.citation: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2007 Aug;5(8):619-33
references.pmid: 17632573
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Mar 7;103(10):3834-9
references.pmid: 16505379