Genomic heterogeneity among French Rhizobium strains isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Levels of DNA relatedness between strains isolated from root nodules of Phaseolus vulgaris and reference strains of different Rhizobium species were determined by performing DNA-DNA hybridization experiments (S1 nuclease method). The nine strains examined were members of three genomic groups previously delineated by a restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis among strains isolated from P. vulgaris at different sites in France. In agreement with the results of the restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, three genomic species were found. We confirmed that one of these species corresponded to Rhizobium leguminosarum since the strain examined was 100% related to the type strain of this species. The other two species were new genomic species which were less than 21% related to reference strains belonging to other Rhizobium species, including Rhizobium etli and Rhizobium tropici, and were 18% related to each other. As determined by an analysis of partial 16S ribosomal DNA sequences, each of the genomic species was found to belong to a lineage independent from the lineages of previously described Rhizobium species. Nevertheless, they were included in the group formed by the fast-growing Rhizobium species. Both genomic species 1 and genomic species 2 contained a majority of strains which were capable of nodulating both P. vulgaris and Leucaena leucocephala, like R. tropici. However, they also contained strains with a nodulation phenotype restricted to P. vulgaris, like R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli and R. etli bv. phaseoli. Our data are the first evidence that in Europe species other than R. leguminosarum nodulate P. vulgaris.