Induction of pathogenic-like responses in the legume Macroptilium atropurpureum by a transposon-induced mutant of the fast-growing, broad-host-range Rhizobium strain NGR234.

Mutant strain ANU2861, a transposon Tn5 mutant of the fast-growing, broad-host-range Rhizobium strain ANU280 (NGR234 Smr Rfr) overproduces polysaccharide, is an ade auxotroph, and induces poorly developed nodules on Leucaena leucocephala and Lablab purpureus (H.C. Chen, M. Batley, J.W. Redmond, and B.G. Rolfe, J. Plant Physiol. 120:331-349, 1985). Strain ANU2861 cannot form nodules on Macroptilium atropurpureum Urb. (siratro) or on Desmodium intortum and D. uncinatum and the nonlegume Parasponia. The parent strain, ANU280, effectively nodulates all these legume species except Parasponia, on which it forms ineffective nodules. Ultrastructural examination of infection sites on the legume siratro showed that mutant strain ANU2861 caused root hair curling (Hac+ phenotype), some cortical cell division (Noi+), but no infection threads (Inf-). Localized cellular responses, known to occur in phytopathological interactions, were observed in electron micrographs of the epidermal tissue at or near the infection zone after inoculation with strain ANU2861 but not the wild-type parental strain. These include (i) the rapid (within 20 h) accumulation of osmiophilic droplets attached to membranes at potential sites of strain ANU2861 penetration and (after 48 h) in the epidermal cells in the immediate region of the curled root hairs, and (ii) localized cell death of the epidermal cells. In addition, strain ANU2861 can initiate a systemic response in split-root siratro plants which prevents the successful nodulation of strain ANU280. A 6.3-kilobase fragment of wild-type genomic DNA, which includes the site of Tn5 insertion in strain ANU2861, was cloned and introduced to strain ANU2861. All the phenotypic defects of the mutant strain were corrected by the introduction of this DNA fragment. This indicates that the original Tn5 insertion is responsible for the phenotype.