Host killing mechanism of Azorhizobium caulinodans

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25450081
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Plant nutrition/Soil science
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Aono Toshihiro 東京大学, 生物生産工学研究センター, 助教 (10372418)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 根粒菌 / 共生 / 病原性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Azorhizobium caulinodans is a microsymbiont of a tropical legume Sesbania rostrata. This bacterium possesses reb gene that are related to production of R-bodies, which are host-killing factors. The expression of reb genes is usually repressed in the bacterial cells inhabiting the plant host cells. In this study, we found that the expression of the reb genes was controlled by at least two environmental factors, 2-oxoglutareta and temperature. When A. caulinodans was supplied with high amount of 2-oxoglutarate (more than several mM) at lower temperatures than optimum growth temperatures (about 37°C), high expression of the reb genes was induced. Furthermore, we found that the nuclei of host plant cells were collapsed when A. caulinodans cells produced R-bodies in the host plant cells.

Free Research Field

植物微生物相互作用