Sinorhizobium meliloti nifA mutant induces different gene expression profile from wild type in Alfalfa nodules

Cell Res. 2006 Oct;16(10):818-29. doi: 10.1038/sj.cr.7310096. Epub 2006 Sep 26.

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated that the Rhizobium nifA gene is an activator of nitrogen fixation acting in nodule bacteria. To understand the effects of the Sinorhizobium meliloti nifA gene on Alfalfa, the cDNA-AFLP technique was employed to study the changes in gene expression in nifA mutant nodules. Among the approximately 3,000 transcript-derived fragments, 37 had differential expression levels. These expression levels were subsequently confirmed by reverse Northern blot and RT-polymerase chain reaction. Sequence analyses revealed that 21 cDNA fragments corresponded to genes involved in signal communication, protein degradation, nutrient metabolism, cell growth and development.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Blotting, Northern / methods
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Genetic Complementation Test
  • Medicago sativa / genetics
  • Medicago sativa / metabolism*
  • Mutant Proteins / metabolism
  • Nitrogen Fixation / genetics
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / methods
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Plant Roots / microbiology
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Sinorhizobium meliloti / genetics*
  • Symbiosis
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Mutant Proteins
  • NifA protein, Bacteria
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors