Fig. 3: Rhizoplane colonization and nodule occupancy capability of the exoF, exoQ, exoP, and fadL mutants.
From: Rhizobial migration toward roots mediated by FadL-ExoFQP modulation of extracellular long-chain AHLs
A Impaired rhizoplane colonization ability of the exoF, exoQ, and exoP mutants, and increased performance of the fadL mutant. Test mutants were individually co-inoculated with the wild-type strain SF2 at 1:1 ratio under the same conditions used for Tn-seq (Fig. 1; 1 ml inoculant of OD600 = 0.2 herein). B Impaired nodule occupancy, on legume plants grown in vermiculite, by the exoF, exoQ, exoP mutants, and increased performance of the fadL mutants. The wild-type SF2 (WT) forms effective nodules on Glycine soja (wild soybean W05) but not on Glycine max cv. JD17 (cultivated soybean), while its rhcV mutant can establish effective nodules on JD17. The fadL mutants of S. meliloti strains SM01290 (CCBAU01290; BioSample: SAMN02388829) and SM2011 (BioSample: SAMN02603522) were also tested on their host Medicago sativa (alfalfa). Significant difference in competitive rhizoplane colonization and nodule occupancy between individual mutants and WT is indicated (one sample t-test; theoretical mean = 0.5; **, p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001). Error bars represent SD of three biological replicates (nodules from more than 15 plants were analyzed, and the number of test nodules is shown).
