Control of nitrogen fixation and ammonia excretion in Azorhizobium caulinodans.

Due to the costly energy demands of nitrogen (N) fixation, diazotrophic bacteria have evolved complex regulatory networks that permit expression of the catalyst nitrogenase only under conditions of N starvation, whereas the same condition stimulates upregulation of high-affinity ammonia (NH3) assimilation by glutamine synthetase (GS), preventing excess release of excess NH3 for plants. Diazotrophic bacteria can be engineered to excrete NH3 by interference with GS, however control is required to minimise growth penalties and prevent unintended provision of NH3 to non-target plants. Here, we tested two strategies to control GS regulation and NH3 excretion in our model cereal symbiont Azorhizobium caulinodans AcLP, a derivative of ORS571. We first attempted to recapitulate previous work where mutation of both PII homologues glnB and glnK stimulated GS shutdown but found that one of these genes was essential for growth. Secondly, we expressed unidirectional adenylyl transferases (uATs) in a ΔglnE mutant of AcLP which permitted strong GS shutdown and excretion of NH3 derived from N2 fixation and completely alleviated negative feedback regulation on nitrogenase expression. We placed a uAT allele under control of the NifA-dependent promoter PnifH, permitting GS shutdown and NH3 excretion specifically under microaerobic conditions, the same cue that initiates N2 fixation, then deleted nifA and transferred a rhizopine nifAL94Q/D95Q-rpoN controller plasmid into this strain, permitting coupled rhizopine-dependent activation of N2 fixation and NH3 excretion. This highly sophisticated and multi-layered control circuitry brings us a step closer to the development of a "synthetic symbioses" where N2 fixation and NH3 excretion could be specifically activated in diazotrophic bacteria colonising transgenic rhizopine producing cereals, targeting delivery of fixed N to the crop while preventing interaction with non-target plants.

Conditional sanctioning in a legume-Rhizobium mutualism.

Legumes are high in protein and form a valuable part of human diets due to their interaction with symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria known as rhizobia. Plants house rhizobia in specialized root nodules and provide the rhizobia with carbon in return for nitrogen. However, plants usually house multiple rhizobial strains that vary in their fixation ability, so the plant faces an investment dilemma. Plants are known to sanction strains that do not fix nitrogen, but nonfixers are rare in field settings, while intermediate fixers are common. Here, we modeled how plants should respond to an intermediate fixer that was otherwise isogenic and tested model predictions using pea plants. Intermediate fixers were only tolerated when a better strain was not available. In agreement with model predictions, nodules containing the intermediate-fixing strain were large and healthy when the only alternative was a nonfixer, but nodules of the intermediate-fixing strain were small and white when the plant was coinoculated with a more effective strain. The reduction in nodule size was preceded by a lower carbon supply to the nodule even before differences in nodule size could be observed. Sanctioned nodules had reduced rates of nitrogen fixation, and in later developmental stages, sanctioned nodules contained fewer viable bacteria than nonsanctioned nodules. This indicates that legumes can make conditional decisions, most likely by comparing a local nodule-dependent cue of nitrogen output with a global cue, giving them remarkable control over their symbiotic partners.

Global control of bacterial nitrogen and carbon metabolism by a PTSNtr-regulated switch.

The nitrogen-related phosphotransferase system (PTSNtr) of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841 transfers phosphate from PEP via PtsP and NPr to two output regulators, ManX and PtsN. ManX controls central carbon metabolism via the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, while PtsN controls nitrogen uptake, exopolysaccharide production, and potassium homeostasis, each of which is critical for cellular adaptation and survival. Cellular nitrogen status modulates phosphorylation when glutamine, an abundant amino acid when nitrogen is available, binds to the GAF sensory domain of PtsP, preventing PtsP phosphorylation and subsequent modification of ManX and PtsN. Under nitrogen-rich, carbon-limiting conditions, unphosphorylated ManX stimulates the TCA cycle and carbon oxidation, while unphosphorylated PtsN stimulates potassium uptake. The effects are reversed with the phosphorylation of ManX and PtsN, occurring under nitrogen-limiting, carbon-rich conditions; phosphorylated PtsN triggers uptake and nitrogen metabolism, the TCA cycle and carbon oxidation are decreased, while carbon-storage polymers such as surface polysaccharide are increased. Deleting the GAF domain from PtsP makes cells "blind" to the cellular nitrogen status. PTSNtr constitutes a switch through which carbon and nitrogen metabolism are rapidly, and reversibly, regulated by protein:protein interactions. PTSNtr is widely conserved in proteobacteria, highlighting its global importance.

Regulation and Characterization of Mutants of fixABCX in Rhizobium leguminosarum.

Symbiosis between Rhizobium leguminosarum and Pisum sativum requires tight control of redox balance in order to maintain respiration under the microaerobic conditions required for nitrogenase while still producing the eight electrons and sixteen molecules of ATP needed for nitrogen fixation. FixABCX, a cluster of electron transfer flavoproteins essential for nitrogen fixation, is encoded on the Sym plasmid (pRL10), immediately upstream of nifA, which encodes the general transcriptional regulator of nitrogen fixation. There is a symbiotically regulated NifA-dependent promoter upstream of fixA (PnifA1), as well as an additional basal constitutive promoter driving background expression of nifA (PnifA2). These were confirmed by 5'-end mapping of transcription start sites using differential RNA-seq. Complementation of polar fixAB and fixX mutants (Fix- strains) confirmed expression of nifA from PnifA1 in symbiosis. Electron microscopy combined with single-cell Raman microspectroscopy characterization of fixAB mutants revealed previously unknown heterogeneity in bacteroid morphology within a single nodule. Two morphotypes of mutant fixAB bacteroids were observed. One was larger than wild-type bacteroids and contained high levels of polyhydroxy-3-butyrate, a complex energy/reductant storage product. A second bacteroid phenotype was morphologically and compositionally different and resembled wild-type infection thread cells. From these two characteristic fixAB mutant bacteroid morphotypes, inferences can be drawn on the metabolism of wild-type nitrogen-fixing bacteroids.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.

Bacterial Biosensors for in Vivo Spatiotemporal Mapping of Root Secretion.

Plants engineer the rhizosphere to their advantage by secreting various nutrients and secondary metabolites. Coupling transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of the pea (Pisum sativum) rhizosphere, a suite of bioreporters has been developed in Rhizobium leguminosarum bv viciae strain 3841, and these detect metabolites secreted by roots in space and time. Fourteen bacterial lux fusion bioreporters, specific for sugars, polyols, amino acids, organic acids, or flavonoids, have been validated in vitro and in vivo. Using different bacterial mutants (nodC and nifH), the process of colonization and symbiosis has been analyzed, revealing compounds important in the different steps of the rhizobium-legume association. Dicarboxylates and sucrose are the main carbon sources within the nodules; in ineffective (nifH) nodules, particularly low levels of sucrose were observed, suggesting that plant sanctions affect carbon supply to nodules. In contrast, high myo-inositol levels were observed prior to nodule formation and also in nifH senescent nodules. Amino acid biosensors showed different patterns: a γ-aminobutyrate biosensor was active only inside nodules, whereas the phenylalanine bioreporter showed a high signal also in the rhizosphere. The bioreporters were further validated in vetch (Vicia hirsuta), producing similar results. In addition, vetch exhibited a local increase of nod gene-inducing flavonoids at sites where nodules developed subsequently. These bioreporters will be particularly helpful in understanding the dynamics of root exudation and the role of different molecules secreted into the rhizosphere.

Lipogenesis and Redox Balance in Nitrogen-Fixing Pea Bacteroids.

UNLABELLED: Within legume root nodules, rhizobia differentiate into bacteroids that oxidize host-derived dicarboxylic acids, which is assumed to occur via the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle to generate NAD(P)H for reduction of N2 Metabolic flux analysis of laboratory-grown Rhizobium leguminosarum showed that the flux from [(13)C]succinate was consistent with respiration of an obligate aerobe growing on a TCA cycle intermediate as the sole carbon source. However, the instability of fragile pea bacteroids prevented their steady-state labeling under N2-fixing conditions. Therefore, comparative metabolomic profiling was used to compare free-living R. leguminosarum with pea bacteroids. While the TCA cycle was shown to be essential for maximal rates of N2 fixation, levels of pyruvate (5.5-fold reduced), acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA; 50-fold reduced), free coenzyme A (33-fold reduced), and citrate (4.5-fold reduced) were much lower in bacteroids. Instead of completely oxidizing acetyl-CoA, pea bacteroids channel it into both lipid and the lipid-like polymer poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), the latter via a type III PHB synthase that is active only in bacteroids. Lipogenesis may be a fundamental requirement of the redox poise of electron donation to N2 in all legume nodules. Direct reduction by NAD(P)H of the likely electron donors for nitrogenase, such as ferredoxin, is inconsistent with their redox potentials. Instead, bacteroids must balance the production of NAD(P)H from oxidation of acetyl-CoA in the TCA cycle with its storage in PHB and lipids. IMPORTANCE: Biological nitrogen fixation by symbiotic bacteria (rhizobia) in legume root nodules is an energy-expensive process. Within legume root nodules, rhizobia differentiate into bacteroids that oxidize host-derived dicarboxylic acids, which is assumed to occur via the TCA cycle to generate NAD(P)H for reduction of N2 However, direct reduction of the likely electron donors for nitrogenase, such as ferredoxin, is inconsistent with their redox potentials. Instead, bacteroids must balance oxidation of plant-derived dicarboxylates in the TCA cycle with lipid synthesis. Pea bacteroids channel acetyl-CoA into both lipid and the lipid-like polymer poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate, the latter via a type II PHB synthase. Lipogenesis is likely to be a fundamental requirement of the redox poise of electron donation to N2 in all legume nodules.

Multiplicity of Sulfate and Molybdate Transporters and Their Role in Nitrogen Fixation in Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae Rlv3841.

Rhizobium leguminosarum Rlv3841 contains at least three sulfate transporters, i.e., SulABCD, SulP1 and SulP2, and a single molybdate transporter, ModABC. SulABCD is a high-affinity transporter whose mutation prevented growth on a limiting sulfate concentration, while SulP1 and SulP2 appear to be low-affinity sulfate transporters. ModABC is the sole high-affinity molybdate transport system and is essential for growth with NO3(-) as a nitrogen source on limiting levels of molybdate (<0.25 µM). However, at 2.5 µM molybdate, a quadruple mutant with all four transporters inactivated, had the longest lag phase on NO3(-), suggesting these systems all make some contribution to molybdate transport. Growth of Rlv3841 on limiting levels of sulfate increased sulB, sulP1, modB, and sulP2 expression 313.3-, 114.7-, 6.2-, and 4.0-fold, respectively, while molybdate starvation increased only modB expression (three- to 7.5-fold). When grown in high-sulfate but not low-sulfate medium, pea plants inoculated with LMB695 (modB) reduced acetylene at only 14% of the wild-type rate, and this was not further reduced in the quadruple mutant. Overall, while modB is crucial to nitrogen fixation at limiting molybdate levels in the presence of sulfate, there is an unidentified molybdate transporter also capable of sulfate transport.

MgtE From Rhizobium leguminosarum Is a Mg²âº Channel Essential for Growth at Low pH and N2 Fixation on Specific Plants.

MgtE is predicted to be a Rhizobium leguminosarum channel and is essential for growth when both Mg²âº is limiting and the pH is low. N2was only fixed at 8% of the rate of wild type when the crop legume Pisum sativum was inoculated with an mgtE mutant of R. leguminosarum and, although bacteroids were present, they were few in number and not fully developed. R. leguminosarum MgtE was also essential for N2fixation on the native legume Vicia hirsuta but not when in symbiosis with Vicia faba. The importance of MgtE and the relevance of the contrasting phenotypes is discussed.

Mutation of praR in Rhizobium leguminosarum enhances root biofilms, improving nodulation competitiveness by increased expression of attachment proteins.

In Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae, quorum-sensing is regulated by CinR, which induces the cinIS operon. CinI synthesizes an AHL, whereas CinS inactivates PraR, a repressor. Mutation of praR enhanced biofilms in vitro. We developed a light (lux)-dependent assay of rhizobial attachment to roots and demonstrated that mutation of praR increased biofilms on pea roots. The praR mutant out-competed wild-type for infection of pea nodules in mixed inoculations. Analysis of gene expression by microarrays and promoter fusions revealed that PraR represses its own transcription and mutation of praR increased expression of several genes including those encoding secreted proteins (the adhesins RapA2, RapB and RapC, two cadherins and the glycanase PlyB), the polysaccharide regulator RosR, and another protein similar to PraR. PraR bound to the promoters of several of these genes indicating direct repression. Mutations in rapA2, rapB, rapC, plyB, the cadherins or rosR did not affect the enhanced root attachment or nodule competitiveness of the praR mutant. However combinations of mutations in rapA, rapB and rapC abolished the enhanced attachment and nodule competitiveness. We conclude that relief of PraR-mediated repression determines a lifestyle switch allowing the expression of genes that are important for biofilm formation on roots and the subsequent initiation of infection of legume roots.

Malonate catabolism does not drive N2 fixation in legume nodules.

Malonyl-coenzyme A (CoA) decarboxylase, malonyl-CoA synthetase, and malonate transporter mutants of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae and trifolii fixed N2 at wild-type rates on pea and clover, respectively. Thus, malonate does not drive N2 fixation in legume nodules.

Regulatable vectors for environmental gene expression in Alphaproteobacteria.

Two expression vectors utilizing the inducible taurine promoter (tauAp) were developed. Plasmid pLMB51 is a stable low-copy vector enabling expression in the environment and in planta. The higher copy number pLMB509 enables BD restriction-independent cloning, expression, and purification of polyhistidine-tagged proteins.

BacA is essential for bacteroid development in nodules of galegoid, but not phaseoloid, legumes.

BacA is an integral membrane protein, the mutation of which leads to increased resistance to the antimicrobial peptides bleomycin and Bac7(1-35) and a greater sensitivity to SDS and vancomycin in Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae, R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli, and Rhizobium etli. The growth of Rhizobium strains on dicarboxylates as a sole carbon source was impaired in bacA mutants but was overcome by elevating the calcium level. While bacA mutants elicited indeterminate nodule formation on peas, which belong to the galegoid tribe of legumes, bacteria lysed after release from infection threads and mature bacteroids were not formed. Microarray analysis revealed almost no change in a bacA mutant of R. leguminosarum bv. viciae in free-living culture. In contrast, 45 genes were more-than 3-fold upregulated in a bacA mutant isolated from pea nodules. Almost half of these genes code for cell membrane components, suggesting that BacA is crucial to alterations that occur in the cell envelope during bacteroid development. In stark contrast, bacA mutants of R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli and R. etli elicited the formation of normal determinate nodules on their bean host, which belongs to the phaseoloid tribe of legumes. Bacteroids from these nodules were indistinguishable from the wild type in morphology and nitrogen fixation. Thus, while bacA mutants of bacteria that infect galegoid or phaseoloid legumes have similar phenotypes in free-living culture, BacA is essential only for bacteroid development in indeterminate galegoid nodules.

Pathway of gamma-aminobutyrate metabolism in Rhizobium leguminosarum 3841 and its role in symbiosis.

Pea plants incubated in 15N2 rapidly accumulated labeled gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) in the plant cytosol and in bacteroids of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841. Two pathways of GABA metabolism were identified in R. leguminosarum 3841. In the first, glutamate is formed by GABA aminotransferase (GabT), transferring the amino group from GABA to 2-oxoglutarate. In the second, alanine is formed by two omega-aminotransferases (OpaA and OpaB), transferring the amino group from GABA to pyruvate. While the gabT mutant and the gabT opaA double mutant grew on GABA as a nitrogen source, the final triple mutant did not. The semialdehyde released from GABA by transamination is oxidized by succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (GabD). Five of six potential GabD proteins in R. leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841 (GabD1, -D2, -D3, -D4, and -D5) were shown by expression analysis to have this activity. However, only mutations of GabD1, GabD2, and GabD4 were required to prevent utilization of GABA as the sole nitrogen source in culture. The specific enzyme activities of GabT, Opa, and GabD were highly elevated in bacteroids relative to cultured bacteria. This was due to elevated expression of gabT, opaA, gabD1, and gabD2 in nodules. Strains mutated in aminotransferase and succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenases (gabT, opaA, or opaB and gabD1, gabD2, or gabD4, respectively) that cannot use GABA in culture still fixed nitrogen on plants. While GABA catabolism alone is not essential for N2 fixation in bacteroids, it may have a role in energy generation and in bypassing the decarboxylating arm of the tricarboxylic acid cycle.

Characterization of the quaternary amine transporters of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841.

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841 contains six putative quaternary ammonium transporters (Qat), of the ABC family. Qat6 was strongly induced by hyperosmosis although the solute transported was not identified. All six systems were induced by the quaternary amines choline and glycine betaine. It was confirmed by microarray analysis of the genome that pRL100079-83 (qat6) is the most strongly upregulated transport system under osmotic stress, although other transporters and 104 genes are more than threefold upregulated. A range of quaternary ammonium compounds were tested but all failed to improve growth of strain 3841 under hyperosmotic stress. One Qat system (gbcXWV) was induced 20-fold by glycine betaine and choline and a Tn5::gbcW mutant was severely impaired for both transport and growth on these compounds, demonstrating that it is the principal system for their use as carbon and nitrogen sources. It transports glycine betaine and choline with a high affinity (apparent K(m), 168 and 294 nM, respectively).

In vivo restriction endonuclease activity of the Anabaena PCC 7120 XisA protein in Escherichia coli.

Anabaena PCC 7120 genome contains three elements, which get excised out during late stages of heterocyst differentiation by a site-specific recombination process. The XisA protein, which excises the nifD element, shows sequence homology with the integrase family of tyrosine recombinase. The 11 bp target site of XisA CGGAGTAATCC contains a 3 bp inverted repeat. Here, we report restriction endonuclease activity of XisA by specific loss of plasmids containing single or double target sites. The pMX25 plasmid containing two target sites demonstrated endonuclease activity proportional to excision frequency. Different plasmid substrates containing one base pair mutation in the inverted repeat of the target site were monitored for endonuclease activity. Mutation of A4C retained endonuclease activity, while other modifications lost endonuclease activity. The presence of an additional copy of the target site enhanced endonuclease activity. These results suggest that the XisA protein could be an IIE type of restriction endonuclease in addition to being a recombinase.

Glutathione affects the transport activity of Rhizobium leguminosarum 3841 and is essential for efficient nodulation.

As glutathione (GSH) plays an essential role in growth and symbiotic capacity of rhizobia, a glutathione synthetase (gshB) mutant of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae 3841 (Rlv3841) was characterised. It fails to efficiently utilise various compounds as a sole carbon source, including glucose, succinate, glutamine and histidine, and shows 60%-69% reduction in uptake rates of glucose, succinate and the non-metabolisable substrate α-amino isobutyric acid. The defect in glucose uptake can be overcome by addition of exogenous GSH, indicating GSH, but not its bacterial synthesis, is required for efficient transport. GSH is not involved in the regulation of the activity of Rlv3841's transporters via the global regulator of transport, PtsNTR. Although lack of GSH reduces transcription of the branched amino acid transporter, this was not the case for all uptake transport systems, for example, the amino acid permease. This suggests GSH alters activity and/or assembly of transport systems by an unknown mechanism. In interaction with plants, the gshB mutant is not only severely impaired in rhizosphere colonisation, but also shows a 50% reduction in dry weight of plants and nitrogen-fixation ability. This reveals that changes in GSH metabolism affect the bacterial-plant interactions required for symbiosis.

Arabinose and protocatechuate catabolism genes are important for growth of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae in the pea rhizosphere.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To form nitrogen-fixing nodules on pea roots, Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae must be competitive in the rhizosphere. Our aim was to identify genes important for rhizosphere fitness. METHODS: Signature-tagged mutants were screened using microarrays to identify mutants reduced for growth in pea rhizospheres. Candidate mutants were assessed relative to controls for growth in minimal medium, growth in pea rhizospheres and for infection of peas in mixed inoculants. Mutated genes were identified by DNA sequencing and confirmed by transduction. RESULTS: Of 5508 signature-tagged mutants, microarrays implicated 50 as having decreased rhizosphere fitness. Growth tests identified six mutants with rhizosphere-specific phenotypes. The mutation in one of the genes (araE) was in an arabinose catabolism operon and blocked growth on arabinose. The mutation in another gene (pcaM), encoding a predicted solute binding protein for protocatechuate and hydroxybenzoate uptake, decreased growth on protocatechuate. Both mutants were decreased for nodule infection competitiveness with mixed inoculants, but nodulated peas normally when inoculated alone. Other mutants with similar phenotypes had mutations predicted to affect secondary metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: Catabolism of arabinose and protocatechuate in the pea rhizosphere is important for competitiveness of R.l. viciae. Other genes predicted to be involved in secondary metabolism are also important.

Characterisation of SalRAB a salicylic acid inducible positively regulated efflux system of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv viciae 3841.

Salicylic acid is an important signalling molecule in plant-microbe defence and symbiosis. We analysed the transcriptional responses of the nitrogen fixing plant symbiont, Rhizobium leguminosarum bv viciae 3841 to salicylic acid. Two MFS-type multicomponent efflux systems were induced in response to salicylic acid, rmrAB and the hitherto undescribed system salRAB. Based on sequence similarity salA and salB encode a membrane fusion and inner membrane protein respectively. salAB are positively regulated by the LysR regulator SalR. Disruption of salA significantly increased the sensitivity of the mutant to salicylic acid, while disruption of rmrA did not. A salA/rmrA double mutation did not have increased sensitivity relative to the salA mutant. Pea plants nodulated by salA or rmrA strains did not have altered nodule number or nitrogen fixation rates, consistent with weak expression of salA in the rhizosphere and in nodule bacteria. However, BLAST analysis revealed seventeen putative efflux systems in Rlv3841 and several of these were highly differentially expressed during rhizosphere colonisation, host infection and bacteroid differentiation. This suggests they have an integral role in symbiosis with host plants.

ABC transport is inactivated by the PTS(Ntr) under potassium limitation in Rhizobium leguminosarum 3841.

PTS(Ntr) is a regulatory phosphotransferase system in many bacteria. Mutation of the PTS(Ntr) enzymes causes pleiotropic growth phenotypes, dry colony morphology and a posttranslational inactivation of ABC transporters in Rhizobium leguminosarum 3841. The PTS(Ntr) proteins EI(Ntr) and 2 copies of EIIA(Ntr) have been described previously. Here we identify the intermediate phosphocarrier protein NPr and show its phosphorylation by EI(Ntr) in vitro. Furthermore we demonstrate that phosphorylation of EI(Ntr) and NPr is required for ABC transport activation and that the N-terminal GAF domain of EI(Ntr) is not required for autophosphorylation. Previous studies have shown that non-phosphorylated EIIA(Ntr) is able to modulate the transcriptional activation of the high affinity potassium transporter KdpABC. In R. leguminosarum 3841 kdpABC expression strictly depends on EIIA(Ntr). Here we demonstrate that under strong potassium limitation ABC transport is inactivated, presumably by non-phosphorylated EIIA(Ntr). This is to our knowledge the first report where PTS(Ntr) dictates an essential cellular function. This is achieved by the inverse regulation of two important ATP dependent transporter classes.

Adaptation of Rhizobium leguminosarum to pea, alfalfa and sugar beet rhizospheres investigated by comparative transcriptomics.

BACKGROUND: The rhizosphere is the microbe-rich zone around plant roots and is a key determinant of the biosphere's productivity. Comparative transcriptomics was used to investigate general and plant-specific adaptations during rhizosphere colonization. Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae was grown in the rhizospheres of pea (its legume nodulation host), alfalfa (a non-host legume) and sugar beet (non-legume). Gene expression data were compared to metabolic and transportome maps to understand adaptation to the rhizosphere. RESULTS: Carbon metabolism was dominated by organic acids, with a strong bias towards aromatic amino acids, C1 and C2 compounds. This was confirmed by induction of the glyoxylate cycle required for C2 metabolism and gluconeogenesis in all rhizospheres. Gluconeogenesis is repressed in R. leguminosarum by sugars, suggesting that although numerous sugar and putative complex carbohydrate transport systems are induced in the rhizosphere, they are less important carbon sources than organic acids. A common core of rhizosphere-induced genes was identified, of which 66% are of unknown function. Many genes were induced in the rhizosphere of the legumes, but not sugar beet, and several were plant specific. The plasmid pRL8 can be considered pea rhizosphere specific, enabling adaptation of R. leguminosarum to its host. Mutation of many of the up-regulated genes reduced competitiveness for pea rhizosphere colonization, while two genes specifically up-regulated in the pea rhizosphere reduced colonization of the pea but not alfalfa rhizosphere. CONCLUSIONS: Comparative transcriptome analysis has enabled differentiation between factors conserved across plants for rhizosphere colonization as well as identification of exquisite specific adaptation to host plants.