Characterization of glutamine synthetase from the ammonium-excreting strain HM053 of Azospirillum brasilense / Caracterização da glutamina sintetase da estipe excretora de amônio HM053 de Azospirillum brasilense

Glutamine synthetase (GS), encoded by glnA, catalyzes the conversion of L-glutamate and ammonium to L-glutamine. This ATP hydrolysis driven process is the main nitrogen assimilation pathway in the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azospirillum brasilense. The A. brasilense strain HM053 has poor GS activity and leaks ammonium into the medium under nitrogen fixing conditions. In this work, the glnA genes of the wild type and HM053 strains were cloned into pET28a, sequenced and overexpressed in E. coli. The GS enzyme was purified by affinity chromatography and characterized. The GS of HM053 strain carries a P347L substitution, which results in low enzyme activity and rendered the enzyme insensitive to adenylylation by the adenilyltransferase GlnE.

A glutamina sintetase (GS), codificada por glnA, catalisa a conversão de L-glutamato e amônio em L-glutamina. Este processo dependente da hidrólise de ATP é a principal via de assimilação de nitrogênio na bactéria fixadora de nitrogênio Azospirillum brasilense. A estirpe HM053 de A. brasilense possui baixa atividade GS e excreta amônio no meio sob condições de fixação de nitrogênio. Neste trabalho, os genes glnA das estirpes do tipo selvagem e HM053 foram clonados em pET28a, sequenciados e superexpressos em E. coli. A enzima GS foi purificada por cromatografia de afinidade e caracterizada. A GS da estirpe HM053 possui uma substituição P347L que resulta em baixa atividade enzimática e torna a enzima insensível à adenililação pela adenililtransferase GlnE.

Characterization of glutamine synthetase from the ammonium-excreting strain HM053 of Azospirillum brasilense / Caracterização da glutamina sintetase da estipe excretora de amônio HM053 de Azospirillum brasilense

Glutamine synthetase (GS), encoded by glnA, catalyzes the conversion of L-glutamate and ammonium to L-glutamine. This ATP hydrolysis driven process is the main nitrogen assimilation pathway in the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azospirillum brasilense. The A. brasilense strain HM053 has poor GS activity and leaks ammonium into the medium under nitrogen fixing conditions. In this work, the glnA genes of the wild type and HM053 strains were cloned into pET28a, sequenced and overexpressed in E. coli. The GS enzyme was purified by affinity chromatography and characterized. The GS of HM053 strain carries a P347L substitution, which results in low enzyme activity and rendered the enzyme insensitive to adenylylation by the adenilyltransferase GlnE.

A glutamina sintetase (GS), codificada por glnA, catalisa a conversão de L-glutamato e amônio em L-glutamina. Este processo dependente da hidrólise de ATP é a principal via de assimilação de nitrogênio na bactéria fixadora de nitrogênio Azospirillum brasilense. A estirpe HM053 de A. brasilense possui baixa atividade GS e excreta amônio no meio sob condições de fixação de nitrogênio. Neste trabalho, os genes glnA das estirpes do tipo selvagem e HM053 foram clonados em pET28a, sequenciados e superexpressos em E. coli. A enzima GS foi purificada por cromatografia de afinidade e caracterizada. A GS da estirpe HM053 possui uma substituição P347L que resulta em baixa atividade enzimática e torna a enzima insensível à adenililação pela adenililtransferase GlnE.

Desarrollo de marcadores moleculares del tipo SCAR para la identificación de Azospirillum brasilense Az39 / Development of sequence characterized amplified región markers for identification of Azospirillum brasilense Az39

Resumen Azospirillum brasilense Az39 es utilizada por empresas productoras de inoculantespara la formulación de bioinsumos en América del Sur desde hace más de 30 a˜nos. Esta cepapuede promover el crecimiento, desarrollo, así como la capacidad de tolerar diferentes tiposde estrés en las plantas inoculadas, lo que determina un aumento de la productividad de culti-vos de interés agronómico. En la actualidad, no existen protocolos en Argentina que permitanconfirmar la identidad de Az39 en productos comerciales a nivel de laboratorios de control decalidad de inoculantes. Por ello, el objetivo de este trabajo fue desarrollar una metodología enbase molecular que permita la identificación certera de A. brasilense Az39. Con la secuenciacompleta del genoma y mediante herramientas bioinformáticas, se pudieron reconocer frag-mentos de ADN presentes únicamente en el genoma de Az39. Se dise˜naron cebadores dirigidosa amplificar por PCR dichas secuencias. Como resultado se observaron los productos específicosúnicamente en la presencia de la cepa de interés. La reacción pudo detectar un título mínimode 105UFC/ml (4,5 ng/l ADN) o de 102UFC/ml (0,88 ng/l ADN) o una concentración mínimade 0,098 ng/l ADN, dependiendo del método de extracción utilizado. Los cebadores fueronevaluados en el análisis de productos comerciales obtenidos del mercado nacional, arrojandoresultados positivos, tanto en muestras directas como así también en pruebas confirmatoriasa partir de colonias aisladas de tales productos. La metodología desarrollada en este trabajo,permite la detección certera de A. brasilense Az39 en cultivos puros o mezclas complejas demicroorganismos.

Abstract Azospirillum brasilense Az39 has been used since more than 30 years by several companies in South America for biofertilizers production. This strain may promote plants growth and development, as well as the ability of inoculated plants to tolerate environmental stresses, which determines an increase in the productivity under field conditions. At present, there are no protocols in Argentina to confirm the identity of Az39 in commercial products; however, such biofertilizers are formulated almost exclusively with this strain. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to develop a molecular methodology that allows the accurate identification of A. brasilense Az39. Using the complete genome sequence and several bioinformatics tools, fragments of DNA present only in the Az39 genome were recognized. A set of PCR primers to amplify these sequences were designed, and the specific products were observed only in the strain of our interest. The sensitivity of the methodology was evaluated, where the strain could be detected up to a titer of 105 CFU/ml (4.5 ng/pl ADN) or 102 CFU/ml (0.88 ng/pl DNA) or in a minimal concentration of 0.098 ng/pl DNA, depending on the DNA extraction methodology used. Primers were tested against direct samples of commercial inoculants and cultures, in both cases there were specifics products, both in direct samples and in confirmatory tests from isolated colonies from those products. The procedure presented in this paper allows the accurate identification of A. brasilense Az39 in pure cultures, mixtures of microorganisms, and commercial biofertilizers.

Search for endophytic diazotrophs in barley seeds

Eight endophytic isolates assigned to Pseudomonas, Azospirillum, and Bacillus genera according to pheno-genotypic features were retrieved from barley seeds under selective pressure for nitrogen-fixers. Genetic relationships among related isolates were investigated through RAPD. Six isolates displayed nitrogen-fixing ability, while all could biosynthesize indolacetic acid in vitro and showed no antibiosis effects against Azospirillum brasilense Az39, a recognized PGPR.

Expression and characterization of an N-truncated form of the NifA protein of Azospirillum brasilense

Azospirillum brasilense is a nitrogen-fixing bacterium associated with important agricultural crops such as rice, wheat and maize. The expression of genes responsible for nitrogen fixation (nif genes) in this bacterium is dependent on the transcriptional activator NifA. This protein contains three structural domains: the N-terminal domain is responsible for the negative control by fixed nitrogen; the central domain interacts with the RNA polymerase σ54 co-factor and the C-terminal domain is involved in DNA binding. The central and C-terminal domains are linked by the interdomain linker (IDL). A conserved four-cysteine motif encompassing the end of the central domain and the IDL is probably involved in the oxygen-sensitivity of NifA. In the present study, we have expressed, purified and characterized an N-truncated form of A. brasilense NifA. The protein expression was carried out in Escherichia coli and the N-truncated NifA protein was purified by chromatography using an affinity metal-chelating resin followed by a heparin-bound resin. Protein homogeneity was determined by densitometric analysis. The N-truncated protein activated in vivo nifH::lacZ transcription regardless of fixed nitrogen concentration (absence or presence of 20 mM NH4Cl) but only under low oxygen levels. On the other hand, the aerobically purified N-truncated NifA protein bound to the nifB promoter, as demonstrated by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, implying that DNA-binding activity is not strictly controlled by oxygen levels. Our data show that, while the N-truncated NifA is inactive in vivo under aerobic conditions, it still retains DNA-binding activity, suggesting that the oxidized form of NifA bound to DNA is not competent to activate transcription.

Efecto de la biofertilización y los biorreguladores en la germinación y el crecimiento de carica papaya L / Effect of biofertilization and bioregulators on germination and growth of carica papaya L

Con el objetivo de incrementar y acelerar el proceso de germinación de las semillas y obtener una alta producción y homogeneidad de plántulas de Carica papaya variedad Maradol en vivero, se evaluó el efecto de tres biofertilizantes aplicados solos o en combinación (Azotobacter chroococcum, Azospirillum brasilense y Glomus intraradices), y un biorregulador del crecimiento vegetal, el ácido giberélico (AG3), en la germinación y el crecimiento vegetal. Se realizó un experimento bajo un diseño completamente al azar con ocho tratamientos y tres repeticiones. A las semillas se les aplicó un pretratamiento germinativo con alternancia de temperatura para superar la dormancia. Los tratamientos simples con A. chroococcum y A. brasilense, incrementaron el porcentaje de germinación a 90,28 y 88,89% respectivamente. Además, con la aplicación de los biofertilizantes y el AG3, la velocidad de germinación se incrementó y el tiempo medio de germinación se redujo. La doble aplicación en semillas y foliar de los biofertilizantes y el AG3 en plántulas mejoró el crecimiento vegetal. La población de A. chroococcum fue mayor cuando se inoculó en combinación con G. intraradices. La prevalencia de colonización de las plántulas inoculadas con G. intraradices varió de 18,53 a 26,67%, con el mayor valor registrado para el tratamiento combinado con A. brasilense. Finalmente, aplicando esta metodología se logró acelerar la germinación, obteniéndose una mayor homogeneidad en la emergencia de las plántulas, disminuyendo así el tiempo de permanencia en el vivero.

In order to increase and accelerate the process of seed germination and obtain a high yield and homogeneity of papaya seedlings cv. Maradol in nurseries, we evaluated the effect of three biofertilizers applied single or in combination (Azotobacter chroococcum, Azospirillum brasilense and Glomus intraradices) and a plant growth bioregulator, the gibberellic acid 3 (AG3), on the germination and subsequent growth of papaya seedlings. An experimental design completely random with eight treatments and three replications were used. The application of a pre-germinal treatment with alternating temperature had to be applied to seeds to overcome dormancy. Single biofertilization with A. chroococcum and A. brasilense, promoted the germination percentage 90.28 y 88.89% respectively. Germination rate could be enhanced and the mean germination time was reduced with the application of biofertilizer and AG3. Both applications on seeds and leaves of biofertilizers and AG3, had a positive effect on plant growth. The population of A. chroococcum was higher in the combined inoculation with G. intraradices. The prevalence of colonization of plants inoculated with G. intraradices ranged from 18.53 to 26.67%, with the greatest values recorded for the treatment involving combined inoculation with A. brasilense. Finally, with the application of this methodology the seed germination rate was improved, as well as the uniformity of seedlings emergence...

Different responses of the GlnB and GlnZ proteins upon in vitro uridylylation by the Azospirillum brasilense GlnD protein

Azospirillum brasilense is a diazotroph found in association with important agricultural crops. In this organism, the regulation of nitrogen fixation by ammonium ions involves several proteins including the uridylyltransferase/uridylyl-removing enzyme, GlnD, which reversibly uridylylates the two PII proteins, GlnB and GlnZ, in response to the concentration of ammonium ions. In the present study, the uridylylation/deuridylylation cycle of A. brasilense GlnB and GlnZ proteins by GlnD was reconstituted in vitro using the purified proteins. The uridylylation assay was analyzed using non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorescent protein detection. Our results show that the purified A. brasilense GlnB and GlnZ proteins were uridylylated by the purified A. brasilense GlnD protein in a process dependent on ATP and 2-oxoglutarate. The dependence on ATP for uridylylation was similar for both proteins. On the other hand, at micromolar concentration of 2-oxoglutarate (up to 100 µM), GlnB uridylylation was almost twice that of GlnZ, an effect that was not observed at higher concentrations of 2-oxoglutarate (up to 10 mM). Glutamine inhibited uridylylation and stimulated deuridylylation of both GlnB and GlnZ. However, glutamine seemed to inhibit GlnZ uridylylation more efficiently. Our results suggest that the differences in the uridylylation pattern of GlnB and GlnZ might be important for fine-tuning of the signaling pathway of cellular nitrogen status in A. brasilense.

Purification and binding analysis of the nitrogen fixation regulatory NifA protein from Azospirillum brasilense

NifA protein activates transcription of nitrogen fixation operons by the alternative s54 holoenzyme form of RNA polymerase. This protein binds to a well-defined upstream activator sequence (UAS) located at the -200/-100 position of nif promoters with the consensus motif TGT-N10-ACA. NifA of Azospirillum brasilense was purified in the form of a glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-NifA fusion protein and proteolytic release of GST yielded inactive and partially soluble NifA. However, the purified NifA was able to induce the production of specific anti-A. brasilense NifA-antiserum that recognized NifA from A. brasilense but not from K. pneumoniae. Both GST-NifA and NifA expressed from the E. coli tac promoter are able to activate transcription from the nifHDK promoter but only in an A. brasilense background. In order to investigate the mechanism that regulates NifA binding capacity we have used E. coli total protein extracts expressing A. brasilense nifA in mobility shift assays. DNA fragments carrying the two overlapping, wild-type or mutated UAS motifs present in the nifH promoter region revealed a retarded band of related size. These data show that the binding activity present in the C-terminal domain of A. brasilense NifA protein is still functional even in the presence of oxygen.

Genetical rearrangements in azospirillum brasilense induced by the plasmid PJB4JI

O presente trabalho foi conduzido com a proposta inicial de buscar a caracterizaçäo de mutantes da linhagem ATCC 29.145 de Azospirillum brasilense, induzidos por inserçöes do transposon Tn-5. A estratégia utilizada para transferir tal elemento móvel foi baseada no uso do vetor plasmídico denominado pJB4JI::Mu::Tn-5 que foi originalmente construído para se comportar como um plasmídio suicida quando dentro de células bacterianas näo enterobacterias. Apesar disto, quando este plasmídio foi transferido para A. brasilense, ele sofreu replicaçöes como o faz quando em células de enterobactérias e, devido a este fato, foi entäo possível de se detectar modificaçöes nos plasmídios autóctones das células de A. brasilense. Entre estas mudanças foi observado a ausência dos plasmídios anteriormente denominados pFL1 e pFL2 eventos de incompatibilidade

The nifHDK operon in the free-living nitrogen-fixin bacteria azospirillum brasiliense sequentially comprises genes H, D, K, an 353 BP orf and gene Y

The complete nucleotide sequence of the nitrogenase structural genes form Azospirillum brasilense was determined. Two additional open reading frames of 353 and 683 base pairs were detected downstream of the nifK gene. Structures resembling the consensus nif promoter and NifA-binding motif were found only upstream from the nifH region and an inverted repeat structure locate downstream of the nifY gene may be a potential stem-and-loop transcriptional terminator. The nif structural genes of Azospirillum brasiliense are transcribed as a transcription unit and organized as nifHDK orf1 Y, NifH, NifD and NifK polypeptides share significant sequence identies when compared to nif structural gene products from other organisms. The three polypeptides are characterized by the presence of highly conserved cysteine residues which may play a role in binding the iron-sulfur cluster