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Science 8 March 1991:
Vol. 251. no. 4998, pp. 1220 - 1222
DOI: 10.1126/science.251.4998.1220
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Articles

Evidence for an Inter-Organismic Heme Biosynthetic Pathway in Symbiotic Soybean Root Nodules

INDU SANGWAN 1 and MARK R. O'BRIAN 1

1 Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214

The successful symbiosis of soybean with Bradyrhizobium japonicum depends on their complex interactions, culminating in the development and maintenance of root nodules. A B. japonicum mutant defective in heme synthesis in culture was able to produce heme as a result of its symbiotic association with the soybean host. The bacterial mutant was incapable of synthesizing the committed heme precursor dgr-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), but nodule plant cells formed ALA from glutamate. In addition, exogenous ALA was taken up by isolated nodule bacteria of the parent strain and of the mutant. It is proposed that bacterial heme found in nodules can be synthesized from plant ALA, hence segments of a single metabolic pathway are spatially separated into two organisms.

Submitted on October 10, 1991
Accepted on January 18, 1991


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
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H. Panek and M. R. O'Brian (2002)
Microbiology 148, 2273-2282
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The Bradyrhizobium japonicum Proline Biosynthesis Gene proC Is Essential for Symbiosis.
N. D. King, D. Hojnacki, and M. R. O'Brian (2000)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 66, 5469-5471
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Fur-independent regulation of iron metabolism by Irr in Bradyrhizobium japonicum.
I. Hamza, Z. Qi, N. D. King, and M. R. O’Brian (2000)
Microbiology 146, 669-676
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Expression of a Soybean Gene Encoding the Tetrapyrrole-Synthesis Enzyme Glutamyl-tRNA Reductase in Symbiotic Root Nodules.
I. Sangwan and M. R. O'Brian (1999)
Plant Physiology 119, 593-598
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The Bacterial Irr Protein Is Required for Coordination of Heme Biosynthesis with Iron Availability.
I. Hamza, S. Chauhan, R. Hassett, and M. R. O'Brian (1998)
J. Biol. Chem. 273, 21669-21674
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Evidence that the Plant Host Synthesizes the Heme Moiety of Leghemoglobin in Root Nodules.
M. A. Santana, K. Pihakaski-Maunsbach, N. Sandal, K. A. Marcker, and A. G. Smith (1998)
Plant Physiology 116, 1259-1269
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A Mutant Bradyrhizobium japonicum [IMAGE]-Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase with an Altered Metal Requirement Functions in Situ for Tetrapyrrole Synthesis in Soybean Root Nodules.
S. Chauhan and M. R. O'Brian (1995)
J. Biol. Chem. 270, 19823-19827
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
gsa1 Is a Universal Tetrapyrrole Synthesis Gene in Soybean and Is Regulated by a GAGA Element.
J. M. Frustaci, I. Sangwan, and M. R. O'Brian (1995)
J. Biol. Chem. 270, 7387-7393
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Evidence for Direct Interaction between Enzyme INtr and Aspartokinase to Regulate Bacterial Oligopeptide Transport.
N. D. King and M. R. O'Brian (2001)
J. Biol. Chem. 276, 21311-21316
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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