Functional complementation among different surface polysaccharides in the symbiosis between Sinorhizobium meliloti and Medicago species

HOZBOR, D.F.; PICH OTERO, A.J.L.; LODEIRO, A.R.; DEL PAPA, M.F.; PISTORIO, M.; LAGARES, A.

RESEARCH IN MICROBIOLOGY

Elsevier

Año: 2004 vol. 155 p. 855 - 860

0923-2508

In this work we examined the extent of functional complementation in symbiosis of different Sinorhizobium meliloti surface polysaccharides including the lipopolysaccharide (LPS).We show that a symbiotic deficiency associated to an LPS defect can be reversed by appropriate expression of other surface polysaccharides such as the galactoglucan (EPSII) and a particular form of capsular polysaccharide (KdoPS). Noteworthily, while succinoglycan EPSI and LPS cannot functionally substitute each other, they can both be replaced by the same common set of polysaccharides (i.e. EPSII/KdoPS). The complex pattern of functional complementation among polysaccharides in symbiosis showed to be different in Medicago truncatula than that previously reported for M. sativa