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A gfp reporter plasmid to visualize Azorhizobium caulinodans during nodulation of Sesbania rostrata.

Compared with other labeling techniques, the use of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) is advantageous to visualize bacteria because observations can be performed in real time. This feature is particularly interesting to study invasion events of rhizobia during nodule development on their legume host plant. To investigate the symbiotic interaction between Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 and Sesbania rostrata, we constructed two plasmids, pMP220-hem-gfp5 and pBBR5-hem-gfp5-S65T, that carry a modified gfp gene, the expression of which is controlled by the constitutive hem promoter. Introduction of either of these plasmids into A. caulinodans allowed the visualization of single bacteria. Determination of the plasmid stability in cultured bacteria and in nodules demonstrated that pBBR5-hem-gfp5-S65T is more stable than pMP220-hem-gfp5. The plasmid pBBR5-hem-gfp5-S65T can be used to study early invasion events during nodule development on hydroponic roots of S. rostrata.

Azorhizobium caulinodans↗

Rhizobium meliloti lipopolysaccharide and exopolysaccharide can have the same function in the plant-bacterium interaction.

A fix region of Rhizobium meliloti 41 involved both in symbiotic nodule development and in the adsorption of bacteriophage 16-3 was delimited by directed Tn5 mutagenesis. Mutations in this DNA region were assigned to four complementation units and were mapped close to the pyr-2 and pyr-29 chromosomal markers. Phage inactivation studies with bacterial cell envelope preparations and crude lipopolysaccharides (LPS) as well as preliminary characterization of LPS in the mutants indicated that these genes are involved in the synthesis of a strain-specific LPS. Mutations in this DNA region resulted in a Fix- phenotype in AK631, an exopolysaccharide (EPS)-deficient derivative of R. meliloti 41; however, they did not influence the symbiotic efficiency of the parent strain. An exo region able to restore the EPS production of AK631 was isolated and shown to be homologous to the exoB region of R. meliloti SU47. By generating double mutants, we demonstrated that exo and lps genes determine similar functions in the course of nodule development, suggesting that EPS and LPS may provide equivalent information for the host plant.

Cell Membrane↗

X-ray-induced germ-line mutation leading to tumors. Its manifestation in mice given urethane post-natally.

Treatment of parental ICR mice with X-rays resulted in a significant increase of lung tumors in F1 offspring, which were inherited dominantly with about 40% penetrance. If germ-line mutation leads to heritable tumors, all cells composing the lungs must be mutated and have an equal likelihood of forming tumors. After treatment with carcinogenesis-promoting agents, unusually large clusters of tumor nodules developed in the lungs. When urethane was given to F1 offspring of parents that had been irradiated with 216 rad of X-rays, a large number of offspring (18.0%) developed large clusters of tumor nodules in the lung, whereas only 2.8% did so in the non-irradiated control, an indication of germ-line mutations. The incidence of the affected tumor clusters was more than twice (2.4-fold) that of affected progeny without urethane treatment postnatally, indicating enhancement of penetrance. If increased penetrance after urethane treatment (the multiplying ratio being 2.41) was taken into account in the dose-response data of the previous report, doubling doses were estimated to be about 25 and 50 rad for spermatids and spermatogonia respectively. These values are similar to those for other types of gonial mutation. Curiously, no tumors were produced by radiation in the offspring when exposure of male patterns was in utero (day 15 of gestation). The F1 offspring, which had no lung-tumor-causing mutations, were also highly resistant to post-natal treatment with urethane, developing no clusters of tumor nodules in the offspring. This suggests that, without tumor mutations, carcinogens rarely produce tumors.

Animals↗

Site-directed mutagenesis and DNA sequence of pckA of Rhizobium NGR234, encoding phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase: gluconeogenesis and host-dependent symbiotic phenotype.

We have cloned and sequenced the pckA gene of Rhizobium sp. NGR234, a broad host-range strain. The gene encodes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), a key enzyme of gluconeogenesis. The locus was isolated and subcloned from a genomic library of NGR234 employing hybridization with an R. meliloti pck gene probe and complementation of a Tn5 mutant in this species. The DNA sequence of pckA (NGR234) was determined and encoded a PEPCK protein of 535 amino acids with a molecular weight of 58.4 kDa. The deduced polypeptide sequence was compared to those of three known ATP-dependent PEPCKs. Slightly higher homology was observed with yeast and trypanosome polypeptides than with that of Escherichia coli. We have identified several regions that are conserved in all four PEPCK proteins. A mutant constructed in the pck gene by site-directed mutagenesis with interposon omega failed to grow on succinate, malate and arabinose but grew on glucose and glycerol as sole carbon sources. These data show that NGR234 requires PEPCK-driven gluconeogenesis to grow on TCA cycle intermediates. A host-dependent effect of the pckA mutation was observed on nodule development and nitrogen fixation. Nodules formed by the site-directed mutant on Leucaena leucocephala and Macroptilium atropurpureum were FixRed, but on Vigna unguiculata were Fix-. The expression of the gene was positively regulated in free-living cells of NGR234 by either succinate or host-plant exudates, and was subject to catabolite repression by glucose.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Thyroid disease among the Rongelap and Utirik population--an update.

In 1954, 253 Marshallese were accidentally exposed to fallout radiation from the hydrogen bomb, BRAVO. The Marshall Islands Medical Program (MIMP) was established by the Department of Energy in 1955 to monitor and treat radiation-related disease pursuant to this accident. Medical teams from Brookhaven National Laboratory, a federal institution, regularly visit the Marshall Islands to give medical care to the exposed population. The most significant complication of the exposure has been found to be thyroid disease due to the ingestion of radioactive iodides from the fallout. In 1963 the first thyroid nodules were found in Rongelap subjects and in 1969 in Utirik. Non-neoplastic adenomatous nodules were associated with higher doses of radiation and neoplastic nodules developed in individuals receiving lower doses of radiation. Women were more susceptible to the development of palpable thyroid nodules than men. In 1994 the MIMP initiated examination of the thyroid by ultrasound to supplement the clinical examination. One hundred and sixty-four patients were evaluated. No significant differences were found in the incidence of thyroid nodules or the mean nodule count between the three groups of Rongelap and Utirik exposed and a comparison patient population. There was no significant difference in the incidence of thyroid nodules in males vs. females. Five exposed patients were referred for surgical excision of a nodule detected only by ultrasound. These ultrasound findings are unexpected in that females are known to have a higher incidence of thyroid disease than males and we expected that the incidence of ultrasound nodules would be higher in the exposed population.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Enzymes of amide and ureide biogenesis in developing soybean nodules.

Amide and ureide biogenic enzymes were measured in the plant fraction of soybean (Glycine max) nodules during the period 11 to 23 days after inoculation with Rhizobium japonicum (USDA 3I1b142). Enzymes involved in the initial assimilation of ammonia, i.e. glutamine synthetase, glutamate synthase, and aspartate aminotransferase, showed substantial increases in their specific activities over the time course. These increases paralleled the induction of nitrogenase activity in the bacteroid and leghemoglobin synthesis in the plant fraction. The specific activity of asparagine synthetase, however, showed a rapid decline after an initial increase in specific activity. Following the initial increases in the ammonia assimilatory enzymes, there was an increase in the activity of 5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase, the enzyme which catalyzes the first committed step of de novo purine biosynthesis. This was followed by a dramatic increase in the purine oxidative enzymes, xanthine dehydrogenase and uricase. Smaller increases were observed in the activities of enzymes associated with the supply of metabolites to the purine biosynthetic pathway: phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, serine hydroxymethylase, and methylene tetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase.The concentration of asparagine in the plant fraction decreased at the same time as the observed decrease in asparagine synthetase activity. This was followed by a recovery in plant fraction levels of asparagine in the presence of a continuing fall in the glutamine concentration and continued low asparagine synthetase activity.The data presented are consistent with initial assimilation of ammonia into glutamine and aspartate, which are metabolized by an elevation of endogenous purine biosynthetic enzymes, and then, by the induction of a specific group of purine oxidative enzymes, directed to allantoic acid production.

Journal Article↗

Consequences of Sporangial Development for Nodule Function in Root Nodules of Comptonia peregrina and Myrica gale.

Frankia sp., the actinomycetous endophyte in nitrogen-fixing actinorhizal nodules, may differentiate two forms from its hyphae: vesicles and sporangia. In root nodules of Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult. and Myrica gale L., sporangia may be either absent or present. Nitrogenase activity and symbiotic efficiency were contrasted in spore(+) and spore(-) nodules of these two host genera. Seedlings of C. peregrina nodulated with the spore(+) inoculum showed only 60% of the nitrogenase activity and 50% of the net size of their spore(-) counterparts after 12 weeks of culture. Measurements of acetylene reduction (i.e., nitrogenase activity) were coordinated with samplings of nodules for structural studies. Significant differences in acetylene reduction rates were discernible between spore(+) and spore(-) nodules commencing 4 weeks after nodulation, concomitant with the maturation of sporangia in the nodule. Spore(+) nodules ultimately reached less than half of the rate of nitrogenase activity of spore(-) nodules. Both types of nodules evolved only small amounts of molecular hydrogen, suggesting that both were equally efficient in recycling electrons lost to the reduction of hydrogen ions by nitrogenase. Respiratory cost of nitrogen fixation, expressed as the quotient of micromole CO(2) to micromole ethylene evolved by excised nodules, was significantly greater in spore(+) than in spore(-) nodules. M. gale spore(-) nodules showed variable effectivity, though all had low CO(2) to ethylene evolution ratios. M. gale spore(+) nodules resembled C. peregrina spore(+), with low effectivity and high respiratory cost for nitrogen fixation.

Journal Article↗

Exocrine pancreatic nodules after longterm pancreaticobiliary diversion in rats. An effect of raised CCK plasma concentrations.

Surgical diversion of bile and pancreatic secretions to the mid small bowel has been shown to provoke increased CCK plasma concentration and growth of the pancreas in rats. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of chronic pancreaticobiliary diversion on pancreatic morphology as well as the circulating concentrations of pancreatic polypeptide, secretin, gastrin, and CCK. Fifteen month diversion provoked 73 and 86% increases in pancreatic weight and volume (p less than 0.001). Cholecystokinin blood concentration increased by 98%, from 20.9 +/- 5.7 pg/ml in controls to 41.3 +/- 5.4 after diversion (p less than 0.05), but pancreatic polypeptide, secretin, and gastrin levels were not affected. The volume of the exocrine pancreas doubled from 1104.6 +/- 78.2 mm3 in controls to 2201.2 +/- 229.2 (p less than 0.001), with a matching increase in interstitial tissue. On the contrary, the volume of the endocrine pancreas remained unchanged. Hyperplastic nodules developed in the exocrine pancreas, in 71% of diverted rats, but not in transected controls. We conclude from these observations that chronic diversion of bile and pancreatic juice stimulated pancreatic growth, most likely through a persistent rise of CCK plasma concentrations. Furthermore, this long lasting stimulation induced the development of exocrine pancreatic nodules.

Animals↗

[Development of nodule bacteria in soil].

The rate of growth of a population of nodule bacteria in soil and the time it takes for the cell generation depend on the content and accessibility of necessary nutrient substances. The periods of adaptation, active growth, and stabilization of the population number in the course of growth of a population are typical of soddy-podzolic continuous-cultivated soil. The duration of each period is determined by a sum of ecological factors.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

17-beta-Estradiol induced alterations of cell-matrix and intercellular adhesions in a human mammary carcinoma cell line.

The MCF-7 human mammary carcinoma cell line undergoes morphological differentiation in vitro when treated with 17-beta-estradiol. A prominent feature of this process is the postconfluent development of multicellular, three-dimensional nodules that rise above the surrounding monolayer. Formation of the nodules suggests that changes in cellular adhesion occur during this cellular overgrowth. Therefore changes in the distribution of cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion plaque proteins were examined with respect to estradiol induction of nodule development. Estradiol treatment of the carcinoma cell line had the following effects: (1) vinculin- and talin-rich cell-matrix adhesion plaques were reduced in overall number and size in confluent and postconfluent cultures. No overt change in distribution or morphology of adhesion plaques was observed in subconfluent cultures. (2) Staining for vinculin was reduced in cell-cell adhesions situated at the apical region of subconfluent, confluent and postconfluent monolayers. Staining for F-actin and plakoglobin was retained at this region in estradiol-induced cells. (3) vinculin was not detected in intercellular adhesions of nodule cells although intense labelling for both F-actin and plakoglobin was observed. In addition, in untreated monolayer cells, both F-actin and plakoglobin were concentrated in a subapical/basolateral location, as a vesicle-like pattern, which corresponded to intercellular spaces observed with phase-contrast microscopy. Treatment with estradiol caused the rearrangement of subapical/basolateral F-actin and plakoglobin staining into a more uniform pattern. The findings of this study show that estradiol induces changes in both cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesions in an estrogen-responsive carcinoma cell line. The gradual loss of vinculin from cell-matrix and cell-cell adherens junctions of the monolayer could be a potential factor in the capacity of these cells to form multilayers or nodules in postconfluent growth. Furthermore, the development of the nodules in response to estradiol may provide a useful system in which to study steroid hormone regulation of adhesion and the cytoskeleton in responsive tumor cells.

Actins↗

Inhibition of lung metastasis of B16 melanoma cells exposed to blue light in mice.

The effects of blue light on B16 melanoma cells and on the metastasis of these cells to the lungs were investigated in mice. The exposure of B16 melanoma cells to blue light in two 20-min sessions resulted in marked suppression of cell growth measured at 7 days after exposure. When these cells were harvested, re-inoculated into medium and incubated for a further 7 days, their growth activity returned to almost the same level as that of cultured cells from the non-exposure control group. The melanoma cells harvested after 7 days of incubation were injected intravenously into mice. In the non-exposure group, black nodules developed on the lung surface and the nodules increased in size over time. In the blue-light-exposure group, the development of such black nodules on the lung surface was delayed, and the nodules were smaller. Histopathological examination revealed that blue light suppressed the growth of metastatic tumor cells, and no increase in the number of melanin-containing cells or atypical cells was induced in the metastatic lesions. These results suggest that blue light suppresses the metastasis of B16 melanoma cells.

Animals↗

The histology and development of hepatic nodules and carcinoma in C3H/He and C57BL/6 mice following chronic phenobarbitone administration.

Male C3H/He and C57BL/6 mice were given diets containing sodium phenobarbitone (PB) to allow a daily intake of 85 mg/kg. Control and treated animals were killed at 5, 30, 40, 60, and 80 wk. Other mice were killed in extremis or at the end of the respective experiments: 91 wk for C3H/He and 100 wk for the C57BL/6 animals. A basophilic nodule was found in 1/5 control C3H/He mice at 30 wk; these nodules increased in number with time so that nodules of this type were found in approximately 70% of animals by 91 wk. Nodules were not found in control C57BL/6 mice until 80 wk, when they were found in 4% of mice. PB treatment markedly increased the number of hepatic nodules in both strains of mice. The additional nodule burden was due to the development of a second nodule type formed of large cells with a predominantly eosinophilic cytoplasm. C3H/He animals given PB for 60 wk and then returned to a control diet bore fewer nodules at 91 wk than treated mice killed at 60 or 91 wk. The cumulative incidence of carcinoma in control C3H/He and C57BL/6 mice was 28 and 4%, respectively. The incidence of carcinoma was not increased by PB treatment in either strain. It is concluded that both strains of mice behave in a qualitively similar way to PB administration, although they show considerable quantitative differences in terms of the time and number of nodules that develop. Furthermore, the increased nodule numbers associated with PB treatment were not accompanied by an increase in the number of carcinomas.

Animals↗

Binding of isolated plant lectin by rhizobia during episodes of reduced gravity obtained by parabolic flight.

Development of a legume root nodule is a complex process culminating in a plant/bacterial symbiosis possessing the capacity for biological dinitrogen fixation. Formation of root nodules is initiated by the binding and stabilization of rhizobia to plant root hairs, mediated in part by a receptor/ligand recognition system composed of lectins on the plant root surface and lectin-binding sites on the rhizobial cell surface. The dinitrogen fixation activity of these root nodules may be an important feature of enclosed, space-based life support systems, and may provide an ecological method to recycle nitrogen for amino acid production. However, the effects on nodule development of varied gravitational fields, or of root nutrient delivery hardware, remain unknown. We have investigated the effects of microgravity on root nodule formation, with preliminary experiments focused upon the receptor/ligand component. Microgravity, obtained during parabolic flight aboard NASA 930, has no apparent effect on the binding of purified lectin to rhizobia, a result that will facilitate forthcoming experiments using intact root tissues.

Fabaceae↗

Lipopolysaccharides as a communication signal for progression of legume endosymbiosis.

Establishment of a successful symbiosis between rhizobia and legumes results from an elaborate molecular dialogue between both partners. Bacterial nodulation (Nod) factors are indispensable for initiating plant responses, whereas bacterial surface polysaccharides are important for infection progression and nodule development. The mutant ORS571-oac2 of Azorhizobium caulinodans, affected in its surface polysaccharides, provokes a defective interaction with its host Sesbania rostrata. ORS571-oac2 induced structures with retarded development and continued generation of infection centers and organ primordia, leading to multilobed ineffective nodules. Bacterial development throughout the interaction occurred without major defects. A functional bidirectional complementation was obtained upon coinfection of ORS571-oac2 and a Nod factor-deficient mutant, indicating that the Fix- phenotype of ORS571-oac2-induced nodules resulted from the absence of a positive signal from ORS571-oac2. Indeed, the Fix- phenotype could be complemented by coinoculation of ORS571-oac2 with lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) purified from A. caulinodans. Our data show that Nod factors and LPSs are consecutive signals in symbiosis. Nod factors act first to trigger the onset of the nodulation and invasion program; LPSs inform the plant to proceed with the symbiotic interaction and to develop a functional fixation zone.

Azorhizobium caulinodans↗

Characterization of a novel nodulin gene in soybean that shares sequence similarity to the gene for nodulin-24.

A gene encoding for nodulin-16 (N-16) was isolated from a soybean genomic library. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the cDNA and the genomic clone of N-16 indicated that the coding region of this gene is 330 bp long and is interrupted by a single intron of 494 bp. The coding region of the N-16 gene shows a high degree of localized sequence similarity with the coding sequence of soybean nodulin-24 (N-24). Sequence similarity between the two genes is limited to the coding region of 90 bp in the first exon and the first 54 bp in the second exon of the N-16 gene which is repeated as the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th exons in the N-24 gene. The N-24 gene has been postulated to be a result of repeated duplication of an insertion element consisting of the 54 bp exon and the flanking intron sequences. In the absence of sequence similarity in the regions flanking the 54 bp sequence between the N-16 and N-24 genes, the N-16 gene does not appear to be the ancestral gene. Both N-16 and N-24 have a similar hydrophobic amino terminal end suggesting that N-16 like N-24 is targeted to the peribacteroid membrane. Southern analysis of soybean genomic DNA shows the presence of other related sequences to the N-16 gene, one of which is found to be closely linked to it. Analysis of the temporal accumulation of the N-16 transcripts during nodule development in effective and ineffective nodules suggests that N-16 and related genes might differ from leghemoglobin and some other late nodulin genes in their mechanism of regulation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Promoter trapping in Lotus japonicus reveals novel root and nodule GUS expression domains.

Agrobacterium-based transformation was used to introduce a promoter-less glucuronidase uidA gene (beta-glucuronidase; GUS) into Lotus japonicus. Transgenic plants were screened for GUS activation at different stages after inoculation with its symbiont, Mesorhizobium loti. Functional GUS fusion frequencies ranged from about 2 to 5% of the total number of transgenic lines. These lines provide excellent histological markers for tissue ontogeny analysis. Some of the activations generated GUS expression patterns that correspond to well-known tissue types, such as lateral root and nodule primordia, root tips and developing nodules (line CHEETAH). Others generated GUS activation associated with predictable but previously unknown (i) tissue types, such as the vascular bundle of the nodule (line VASCO); or (ii) expression domains, such as pericycle, nodule primordia, nodule and flower connective/vascular tissue (line FATA MORGANA) or inner root cortex cells in the vicinity of a curled root hair, nodule primordia and nodule cortex (line TIMPA). Putative members of two gene superfamilies, EH (Esp homolog) and AAA ATPase (ATPase associated with various cellular activities), were located next to the CHEETAH and VASCO insertions, respectively, and a nodulin gene, LjENOD40-2, was located next to the FATA MORGANA insertion. We utilized promoter GUS fusions to investigate the genetic regulation of LjENOD40-2 and FATA MORGANA GUS. The LjENOD40-2 promoter defined a novel expression domain and the FATA MORGANA nodule expression was reiterated by the 2 kb sequence upstream of the T-DNA insertion.

Base Sequence↗