Sulphation of <i>Rhizobium</i> sp. NGR234 Nod factors is dependent on <i>noeE</i>, a new host‐specificity gene

Hanin, Moez; Jabbouri, Saı̈d; Quesada-Vincens, D.; Freiberg, Christoph; Perret, Xavier; Promé, Jean‐Claude; Broughton, W. J.; Fellay, R.

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2958.1997.3981777.x

Cited by 63 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Mutation of strain NGR234 noeE blocks the nodulation of P. tuberosus, while its introduction into the closely related strain USDA257 extends the host range of R. fredii to include Calopogonium caeruleum (113). Surprisingly, these transconjugants do not acquire the ability to nodulate P. tuberosus (M. Hanin, unpublished results).…”

Section: Nod Enzymes and Nod Factor Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Molecular Basis of Symbiotic Promiscuity

Perret

Staehelin

Broughton

2000

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

877

630

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SUMMARY Eukaryotes often form symbioses with microorganisms. Among these, associations between plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria are responsible for the nitrogen input into various ecological niches. Plants of many different families have evolved the capacity to develop root or stem nodules with diverse genera of soil bacteria. Of these, symbioses between legumes and rhizobia (Azorhizobium, Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium, and Rhizobium) are the most important from an agricultural perspective. Nitrogen-fixing nodules arise when symbiotic rhizobia penetrate their hosts in a strictly controlled and coordinated manner. Molecular codes are exchanged between the symbionts in the rhizosphere to select compatible rhizobia from pathogens. Entry into the plant is restricted to bacteria that have the “keys” to a succession of legume “doors”. Some symbionts intimately associate with many different partners (and are thus promiscuous), while others are more selective and have a narrow host range. For historical reasons, narrow host range has been more intensively investigated than promiscuity. In our view, this has given a false impression of specificity in legume-Rhizobium associations. Rather, we suggest that restricted host ranges are limited to specific niches and represent specialization of widespread and more ancestral promiscuous symbioses. Here we analyze the molecular mechanisms governing symbiotic promiscuity in rhizobia and show that it is controlled by a number of molecular keys.

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Section: Nod Enzymes and Nod Factor Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, NoeE is a fucose-specific sulfotransferase (113,209). Mutation of strain NGR234 noeE blocks the nodulation of P. tuberosus, while its introduction into the closely related strain USDA257 extends the host range of R. fredii to include Calopogonium caeruleum (113).…”

Section: Nod Enzymes and Nod Factor Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Basis of Symbiotic Promiscuity

Perret

Staehelin

Broughton

2000

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

877

630

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“…T he modification of primary and secondary metabolites by the addition or removal of sulfate can have a profound influence on their biological properties (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Typically, sulfated molecules are directed outside the cell, where they serve as modulators of cell-cell interactions.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Discovery of sulfated metabolites in mycobacteria with a genetic and mass spectrometric approach

Mougous

Leavell

Senaratne

et al. 2002

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The study of the metabolome presents numerous challenges, first among them being the cataloging of its constituents. A step in this direction will be the development of tools to identify metabolites that share common structural features. The importance of sulfated molecules in cell-cell communication motivated us to develop a rapid two-step method for identifying these metabolites in microorganisms, particularly in pathogenic mycobacteria. Sulfurcontaining molecules were initially identified by mass spectral analysis of cell extracts from bacteria labeled metabolically with a stable sulfur isotope ( 34 SO 4 2؊ ). To differentiate sulfated from reduced-sulfur-containing molecules, we employed a mutant lacking the reductive branch of the sulfate assimilation pathway. In these sulfur auxotrophs, heavy sulfate is channeled exclusively into sulfated metabolites. The method was applied to the discovery of several new sulfated molecules in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis. Because a sulfur auxotrophic strain is the only requirement of the approach, many microorganisms can be studied in this manner. Such genetic engineering in combination with stable isotopic labeling can be applied to various metabolic pathways and their products.T he modification of primary and secondary metabolites by the addition or removal of sulfate can have a profound influence on their biological properties (1-5). Typically, sulfated molecules are directed outside the cell, where they serve as modulators of cell-cell interactions. As a notable example pertinent to human health, sulfation of the glycans of endothelial CD34 engenders high-affinity binding with the leukocyte adhesion molecule L-selectin, facilitating an interaction that eventually leads to the recruitment of lymphocytes into peripheral lymph nodes (6). Similarly, sulfation of tyrosyl residues found on the chemokine receptor CCR5 is a modification required for binding of HIV gp120 and therefore efficient viral entry (7).The roles of sulfated compounds in prokaryotes and other microbes are less clear. In one well-characterized case, however, sulfation acts as a modulator of cell-cell communication, similar to its role in eukaryotes. The nitrogen-fixing bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti utilizes a sulfated glycolipid as a secondary messenger to induce root nodulation in its plant host alfalfa (4,8). Mutants lacking the sulfotransferase that installs this sulfate ester are unable to induce root nodulation in alfalfa but gain the ability to colonize the roots of vetch. That sulfation of a single glycolipid plays such a vital role in nitrogen fixation has far-reaching implications for the agricultural community and presents a possible target for chemical or genetic engineering.Sulfation may also be relevant to the process of bacterial pathogenesis (9). Several mycobacteria, including the human pathogens Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium, are known to produce sulfated compounds. One example is Sulfatide-1 (SL-1, Fig. 1A), a sulfated glycolipid from M....

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“…As y4gE represents only a part of a putative transposase gene, it was excluded from all further consideration. At the other edge of the locus, immediately downstream of NB7, is noeE, which encodes a sulfyryl transferase necessary for the sulfation of NGR234 Nod factors (25). Earlier DNA sequence comparisons (19) as well as recent (September 2005) BLAST (2) searches suggest functions for many of the 12 ORFs that lie between nod boxes NB5 and NB7 ( Table 1).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%