Abstract
Two examples of exchange of carbon between host and bacteroids are presented. In the first example, α,α-trehalose which accumulates in nodules is synthesized in bacteroids, but substantial quantities of trehalose are released to the host cytoplasm where it is “recycled” to glucose. In comparisons across Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains, trehalose concentrations in nodules are negatively correlated with acetylene reduction activity. We still have no explanations for these unusual relationships involving trehalose. In the second example we have preliminary evidence for the operation of a malate/aspartate shuttle in B. japonicum bacteroids. Malate is taken up and, after oxidation and transamination, is returned to medium as aspartate. Glutamate which may be taken up or synthesized in bacteroids, is transaminated to α-ketoglutarate, which is exported to the medium. Evidence from the literature and from our recent labeling experiments supports this model, but it is far from being established.
We suggest that a concept of metabolite exchange between symbionts is more appropriate than a unidirectional flow of reduced carbon into bacteroids and reduced nitrogen out of bacteroids.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akkermans, A.D.L., Huss-Danell, K. and Roelofsen, W. 1981. Enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the malate-aspartate shuttle in the N2-fixing endophyte of Alnus glutinosa. Physiol. Plant., 53. 289–294.
Arwas, R., McKay, I.A., Rowney, F.R.P., Dilworth, M.J. and Glenn, A.R. 1985. Properties of organic acid utilization mutants of Rhizobium leguminosarum strain 300. J. Gen. Microbiol., 131, 2059–2066.
Finan, T.M., Wood, J.M. and Jordan, D.C. 1983. Symbiotic properties of C4-dicarboxylic acid transport mutants of Rhizobium leguminosarum. J Bacteriol., 154, 1403–1413.
Kahn, M.L., Kraus, J. and Somerville, J.E. 1985. A model of nutrient exchange in the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis. In “Nitrogen Fixation Research Progress” (Eds. H.J. Evans, P.J. Bottomley and W.J. Newton). (Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht), pp. 193–199.
Ohyama, T. and Kumazawa, K. 1980. Nitrogen assimilation in soybean nodules. II. 15N2 assimilation in bacteroid and cytosol fractions of soybean nodules. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr., 26, 205–213.
Reibach, P.H. and Streeter, J.G. 1984. Evaluation of active versus passive uptake of metabolites by Rhizobium japonicum bacteroids. J. Bacteriol., 159:47–52.
Reynolds, P.H.S., Boland, M.J. and Farnden, K.J.F. 1981. Enzymes of nitrogen metabolism in legume nodules: Partial purification and properties of the aspartate aminotransferases from lupine nodules. Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 209, 524–533.
Ronson, C.W., Lyttleton, P. and Robertson, J.G. 1981. C4-dicarboxylate transport mutants of Rhizobium trifolii form ineffective nodules on Trifolium repens. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 78, 4284–4288.
Ryan, E., Bodley, F. and Fottrell, P.F. 1972. Purification and characterization of aspartate aminotrasferases from soybean root nodules and Rhizobium japonicum. Phytochem., 11, 957–963.
Salminen, S.O. and Streeter, J.G. 1986a. Enzymes of α,α-trehalose metabolism in soybean nodules. Plant Physiol., 81, 538–541.
Salminen, S.O. and Streeter, J.G. 1986b. Uptake and metabolism of carbohydrates by Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacteroids. Plant Physiol., 83, 535–540.
Salminen, S.O. and Streeter, J.G. 1987. Involvement of glutamate in the respiratory metabolism of Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacteroids. J. Bacteriol., 169, 495–499.
Saroso, S., Dilworth, M.J. and Glenn, A.R. 1986. The use of activities of carbon catabolic enzymes as a probe for the carbon nutrition of snakebean nodule bacteroids. J. Gen. Microbiol.J. Gen. Microbiol., 132, 243–249.
Saroso, S., Glenn, A.R. and Dilworth, M.J. 1984. Carbon utilization by free-living and bacteroid forms of cowpea Rhizobium strain NGR234. J. Gen. Microbiol., 130, 1809–1814.
Streeter, J.G. 1985. Accumulation of α,α-trehalose by Rhizobium bacteria and bacteroids. J. Bacteriol., 164. 78–84.
Waters, J.K., Karr, D.B. and Emerich, D.W. 1985. Malate dehydrogenase from Rhizobium japonicum 3I1b-143 bacteroids and Glycine max root nodule mitochondria. Biochem., 24, 6479–6486.
Werner, D. and Stripf, R. 1978. Differentiation of Rhizobium japonicum, I. Enzymatic comparison of nitrogenase repressed and derepressed free-living cells and of bacteroids. Z. Naturforsch., 33c. 245–252.
Zlotnikov, K.M., Marunov, S.K. and Khmel’nitskii, M.I. 1984. Disturbance in assimilation of fixed nitrogen by soybean plants in symbiosis with the ASP bacterium Rhizobium japonicum. Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR, 275. 189–192.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1988 ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels and Luxembourg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Streeter, J.G., Salminen, S.O. (1988). Carbon Metabolism and the Exchange of Metabolites Between Symbionts in Legume Nodules. In: O’Gara, F., Manian, S., Drevon, J.J. (eds) Physiological Limitations and the Genetic Improvement of Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation. Advances in Agricultural Biotechnology, vol 23. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1401-8_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1401-8_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7126-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1401-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive