J. Muller et al., Trehalose becomes the most abundant non-structural carbohydrate during senescence of soybean nodules, J EXP BOT, 52(358), 2001, pp. 943-947
Carbohydrate metabolism and symbiont survival were studied in nodules of so
ybean (G, max [L.] Merr. cv. Maple Arrow infected with Bradyrhizobium japon
icum 61-A-101), induced to senesce simultaneously by application of the pho
tosynthesis inhibitor dichloromethyl urea (DCMU). The plant-borne carbohydr
ates sucrose and starch started to decline after 2 d and reached background
levels after 8 d, in parallel with the decline of nitrogenase. However, th
e microsymbiont-borne disaccharide trehalose declined only by about 40% and
subsequently remained at a constant level of c. 6 mg g(-1) dry weight up t
o 14 d, when nodules softened and decayed. The number of re-isolated viable
bacteria was not significantly decreased in senescent nodules as compared
to control nodules. These results indicate that during terminal senescence
of nodules an appreciable part of the bacteria conserve their trehalose poo
ls and survive.