Summary
The fast-growing Rhizobium strain ORS571 isolated from the tropical legume Sesbania rostrata can grow in the free living state utilizing molecular nitrogen. The organization of the nif genes was analyzed by hybridization using Klebsiella pneumoniae nif DNA probes. Homology was limited to nifHDK, the structural genes for the nitrogenase, nifE, which is involved in formation of the ironmolybdenum cofactor and nifJ, which is involved in electron transport. This is the first report of homology in another diazotroph to K. pneumoniae nifE. A cluster containing nifHDKE was identified. The four genes are contiguous on a 6.3 kb SalI-BamHI fragment. They are all in the same orientation and in the same order as in K. pneumoniae. A second copy of nifH unlinked to this cluster was also identified.
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Communicated by J. Schell
Dedicated to Professor Georg Melchers to celebrate his 50-year association with the journal
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Norel, F., Desnoues, N. & Elmerich, C. Characterization of DNA sequences homologous to Klebsiella pneumoniae nifH, D, K and E in the tropical Rhizobium ORS571. Molec Gen Genet 199, 352–356 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330280
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330280