Op. Onishchuk et al., ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE RHIZOBIUM-MELILOTI TN5-MUTANTS WITH IMPAIRED NODULATION COMPETITIVENESS, Plant and soil, 167(2), 1994, pp. 267-274
Two Tn5-mutants, T37 and T107, with decreased nodulation competitivene
ss (Cmp(-)) were isolated in Rhizobium meliloti strain CXM1-105. Their
Cmp(-) phenotype was repeatedly displayed in sterile plant tests, whe
re competitiveness was measured against a Fix(-) reference strain CXM1
-48 and the parental strain CXM1-105. In addition mutant T37 showed a
decreased nodulation rate (Nra(-)) at the early stages of alfalfa deve
lopment (9-18 days after germination), Its mutant phenotype was demons
trated also under greenhouse conditions when it was evaluated against
reference strain CXM1-48, and against indigenous rhizobial strains per
sisting in the soil. Tn5 insertions from mutants T37 and T107 were tra
nsduced using phage phi M12 to the parental strain CXM1-105. All teste
d transductants showed Cmp(-) and Nra(-) phenotype in the case of T37
and Cmp(-) phenotype in the case of T107. By means of conjugations wit
h avirulent R. meliloti mutant ZB121 and plasmidless Agrobacterium tum
efaciens UBAPF2 we located both Tn5-insertions on the R. meliloti Sym-
plasmid.