ROLE OF LECTINS OF THE CELL-SURFACE OF AZOSPIRILLA IN ASSOCIATION WITH WHEAT ROOTS

It was shown that cell surface lectins of Azospirillum brasilense sp7 and Azospirillum lipoferum 59b are involved in the specific adhesion o f these bacteria to wheat roots. Comparative studies of the interactio ns of the lectins of homologous and nonhomologous strains of azospiril la with different root fractions of Saratovskaya 29 wheat showed that interactions of these lectins with the surface of wheat roots involved both specific and nonspecific components. The interaction intensity w as different in the two species of azospirilla studied. Bacterial lect ins were shown to interact with wheat root lectin.