Identification of isolates from soybean nodules in Xinjiang Region as Sinorhizobium xinjiangense and genetic differentiation of S. xinjiangense from Sinorhizobium fredii.

Eight fast-growing rhizobial isolates from Xinjiang soils were identified as Sinorhizobium xinjiangense by analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences, SDS-PAGE of proteins, intergenic spacer sequences and DNA-DNA hybridization. Based on all of the results, these isolates and the reference strains for S. xinjiangense were a distinct genomic species, although the 16S rRNA genes were closely related to that of Sinorhizobium fredii.