Genes encoding a cellulosic polymer contribute toward the ecological success of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 on plant surfaces.

Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 is a Gram-negative bacterium that grows in close association with plants. In common with a broad range of functionally similar bacteria it plays an important role in the turnover of organic matter and certain isolates can promote plant growth. Despite its environmental...

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Main Authors: Gal, M, Preston, G, Massey, R, Spiers, A, Rainey, P
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2003
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author Gal, M
Preston, G
Massey, R
Spiers, A
Rainey, P
author_facet Gal, M
Preston, G
Massey, R
Spiers, A
Rainey, P
author_sort Gal, M
collection OXFORD
description Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 is a Gram-negative bacterium that grows in close association with plants. In common with a broad range of functionally similar bacteria it plays an important role in the turnover of organic matter and certain isolates can promote plant growth. Despite its environmental significance, the causes of its ecological success are poorly understood. Here we describe the development and application of a simple promoter trapping strategy (IVET) to identify P. fluorescens SBW25 genes showing elevated levels of expression in the sugar beet rhizosphere. A total of 25 rhizosphere-induced (rhi) fusions are reported with predicted roles in nutrient acquisition, stress responses, biosynthesis of phytohormones and antibiotics. One rhi fusion is to wss, an operon encoding an acetylated cellulose polymer. A mutant carrying a defective wss locus was competitively compromised (relative to the wild type) in the rhizosphere and in the phyllosphere, but not in bulk soil. The rhizosphere-induced wss locus therefore contributes to the ecological performance of SBW25 in the plant environment and supports our conjecture that genes inactive in the laboratory environment, but active in the wild, are likely to be determinants of fitness in natural environments.
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spelling oxford-uuid:c8d06302-3445-40e9-abdf-0110715e0f2e2022-03-27T06:54:42ZGenes encoding a cellulosic polymer contribute toward the ecological success of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 on plant surfaces.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:c8d06302-3445-40e9-abdf-0110715e0f2eEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2003Gal, MPreston, GMassey, RSpiers, ARainey, PPseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 is a Gram-negative bacterium that grows in close association with plants. In common with a broad range of functionally similar bacteria it plays an important role in the turnover of organic matter and certain isolates can promote plant growth. Despite its environmental significance, the causes of its ecological success are poorly understood. Here we describe the development and application of a simple promoter trapping strategy (IVET) to identify P. fluorescens SBW25 genes showing elevated levels of expression in the sugar beet rhizosphere. A total of 25 rhizosphere-induced (rhi) fusions are reported with predicted roles in nutrient acquisition, stress responses, biosynthesis of phytohormones and antibiotics. One rhi fusion is to wss, an operon encoding an acetylated cellulose polymer. A mutant carrying a defective wss locus was competitively compromised (relative to the wild type) in the rhizosphere and in the phyllosphere, but not in bulk soil. The rhizosphere-induced wss locus therefore contributes to the ecological performance of SBW25 in the plant environment and supports our conjecture that genes inactive in the laboratory environment, but active in the wild, are likely to be determinants of fitness in natural environments.
spellingShingle Gal, M
Preston, G
Massey, R
Spiers, A
Rainey, P
Genes encoding a cellulosic polymer contribute toward the ecological success of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 on plant surfaces.
title Genes encoding a cellulosic polymer contribute toward the ecological success of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 on plant surfaces.
title_full Genes encoding a cellulosic polymer contribute toward the ecological success of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 on plant surfaces.
title_fullStr Genes encoding a cellulosic polymer contribute toward the ecological success of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 on plant surfaces.
title_full_unstemmed Genes encoding a cellulosic polymer contribute toward the ecological success of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 on plant surfaces.
title_short Genes encoding a cellulosic polymer contribute toward the ecological success of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 on plant surfaces.
title_sort genes encoding a cellulosic polymer contribute toward the ecological success of pseudomonas fluorescens sbw25 on plant surfaces
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