A novel biosensor to monitor proline in pea root exudates and nodules under osmotic stress and recovery.

Background And Aims: Plant and bacteria are able to synthesise proline, which acts as a compound to counteract the negative effects of osmotic stresses. Most methodologies rely on the extraction of compounds using destructive methods. This work describes a new proline biosensor that allows the monitoring of proline levels in a non-invasive manner in root exudates and nodules of legume plants.

Genetic basis for denitrification in Ensifer meliloti.

Background: Denitrification is defined as the dissimilatory reduction of nitrate or nitrite to nitric oxide (NO), nitrous oxide (N2O), or dinitrogen gas (N2). N2O is a powerful atmospheric greenhouse gas and cause of ozone layer depletion. Legume crops might contribute to N2O production by providing nitrogen-rich residues for decomposition or by associating with rhizobia that are able to denitrify under free-living and symbiotic conditions.

Denitrification in Sinorhizobium meliloti.

Denitrification is the complete reduction of nitrate or nitrite to N2, via the intermediates nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O), and is coupled to energy conservation and growth under O2-limiting conditions. In Bradyrhizobium japonicum, this process occurs through the action of the napEDABC, nirK, norCBQD and nosRZDFYLX gene products. DNA sequences showing homology with nap, nirK, nor and nos genes have been found in the genome of the symbiotic plasmid pSymA of Sinorhizobium meliloti strain 1021.