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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #95730
Title: DISTRIBUTION OF GENES OF A CYTOCHROME P450 OPERON AMONG THE RHIZOBIACEAE

Author
item Keister, Donald
item TULLY, RAYMOND - MISC.
item Van Berkum, Peter

Submitted to: Molecular Plant Microbe Interactions
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Legumes such as soybean, peanut, peas, alfalfa etc. form symbioses with soil microorganisms which convert gaseous nitrogen into a fixed form which the plants use for growth. Understanding the biochemistry and physiology of the symbiont is necessary for improving the symbiosis and plant productivity. We previously identified a sequence of genes in one strain of the soybean symbiont which appears to be involved in synthesis of cyclic polyprenyl compounds. These are involved in cell structure and hormone synthesis. We examined several other genera of microsymbionts for these genes to determine if they were present throughout this group of microbes, and found them present in all strains examined. These results will be used by researchers involved in improving legume plant productivity.

Technical Abstract: Bradyrhizobium japonicum contains a cluster of P450 genes and five additional open reading frames, which based on close proximity and similarities to known genes, appears to constitute an operon encoding a biosynthetic pathway which maybe involved in the synthesis of cyclic polyprenyls (terpenoids), e.g. gibberellins, hopanoids, carotenoids. Southern hybridization detected this operon in all species of Rhizobiacease tested.