Open AccessPlasmids and saprophytic growth of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii W14‐2 in soil
Author(s) -
MoënneLoccoz Yvan,
Weaver R.W.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.1995.tb00171.x
Subject(s) - plasmid , biology , rhizobium leguminosarum , population , microbiology and biotechnology , strain (injury) , rhizobiaceae , incubation , inoculation , rhizobium , wild type , bacteria , mutant , horticulture , genetics , symbiosis , gene , biochemistry , demography , anatomy , sociology
The role of plasmids in the saprophytic growth of Rhizobium is mostly unknown. Plasmid‐cured and complemented derivatives of R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii strain W14‐2 were used to investigate the role of plasmids in the growth of this strain in sterile soil incubated under favorable moisture and temperature conditions. Strain W14‐2 contains four plasmids ( a,b,c,d ). Absence of single plasmids in plasmid‐cured derivatives generally did not reduce growth in soil when compared to the wild‐type but absence of plasmid a delayed growth. Derivatives were unable to grow in soil when only plasmids a or d were present in cells. When only plasmids b or c were present, growth was delayed and the final population in 7 days was approximately 10% of the wild‐type population. When the wild‐type was co‐inoculated at equal population into soil with derivatives lacking plasmids a , c , or d, the population of the wild‐type at 7 days incubation was approximately 10 times larger than those of the derivatives. Elimination of only plasmid b did not reduce the ability of the strain to grow in soil when competing with the wild‐type. Plasmids were involved in saprophytic growth of strain W14‐2 in soil and may be important to the ecology of Rhizobium .