Open AccessIsolation of competition-defective mutants of Rhizobium fredii
Author(s) -
Thomas J. McLoughlin,
Ann Owens Merlo,
Sarah W. Satola,
Eric Johansen
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.169.1.410-413.1987
Subject(s) - biology , mutant , rhizobium , mutagenesis , genetics , strain (injury) , competition (biology) , gene , ecology , anatomy
We coupled Tn5 mutagenesis with a competition assay to isolate mutants of Rhizobium fredii USDA 257 that are defective in competition for nodulation of soybeans. Two mutants with single Tn5 inserts in the chromosome showed reduced competitiveness in vermiculite but were identical to the wild-type strain in symbiotic properties when inoculated alone. Recombination of Tn5 and flanking genomic regions cloned from the mutants into the parent strain showed that Tn5 was responsible for the mutant phenotype.