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Complementary Methodologies to Delineate the Composition of Rhizobium trifolii Populations in Root Nodules
Author(s) -
Dughri M. H.,
Bottomley P. J.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1983.03615995004700050020x
Subject(s) - trifolium subterraneum , antiserum , biology , rhizobium , population , serology , polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis , inoculation , root nodule , microbiology and biotechnology , rhizobium leguminosarum , agglutination (biology) , veterinary medicine , botany , horticulture , antigen , antibody , nitrogen fixation , rhizobiaceae , bacteria , symbiosis , agronomy , biochemistry , genetics , enzyme , pasture , medicine , demography , sociology
Three methods of strain identification were used to determine the composition of the Rhizobium trifolii population in nodules formed on subterranean clover ( Trifolium subterraneum L. cv. Mt. Barker) inoculated with a soil suspension. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGGE) was used in a microslab system to elucidate the protein profiles of 22 isolates of R. trifolii . Tube agglutination serological tests carried out with antisera raised to four isolates showed that four groups of isolates could be recognized. Only four isolates out of 22 agglutinated with more than one antiserum, although they reacted with only one antiserum in the gel‐immune‐diffusion test. One isolate did not react with any of the four antisera. No group of isolates dominated the nodule population. Gel‐immune‐diffusion analysis showed that isolates from two of the four groups were serologically identical whereas isolates from the other two groups were serologically heterogeneous. Isolates within all four serogroups were subdivided further according to their protein profiles. Many of the isolates within individual groups had very closely similar or identical profiles whereas others were very distinct. Isolates identified as very similar or identical by SDS‐PAGGE had the same symbiotic effectiveness on T. subterraneum . The data illustrate the need for multiple methods of identification for the best delineation of the composition of the nodule population.