Rapid identification of bean Rhizobium isolates by a nifH gene-PCR assay

• Published in: Soil biology & biochemistry Vol. 30; no. 13; pp. 1655 - 1661
• Main Authors: Aguilar, O.Mario, Grasso, D.H., Riccillo, P.M., López, M.V., Szafer, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-11-1998; New York, NY Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Economic plant physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Microbiology; Rhizobium; Rhizobium etli; Symbiosis (nodules, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, mycorrhiza...); Systematics; Symbiosis; Characterization; Polymerase chain reaction; Symbionte; Taxonomy; Chemotaxonomy; Bacteria; Isolate; Identification; Rhizobium; Rhizobiaceae
• ISSN: 0038-0717; 1879-3428
• DOI: 10.1016/S0038-0717(97)00254-X

Two oligonucleotide primer pairs, based on the
nifH gene sequence of
Rhizobium etli, were used in the polymerase chain reaction to amplify genomic DNA from a collection of bean-nodulating
Rhizobium strains that were isolated from the Americas. The primers that were derived from a poorly conserved region among the
nifH sequences of other rhizobial species, generated a positive and specific reaction with all the
R. etli strains assayed. By contrast, strains belonging to type II
R. tropici and to unclassified bean strains did not yield an amplification product. Since the
nifH primers appeared to be universal for a collection of
R. etli strains representing a diversity of genotypes, the
nifH-PCR method provides a tool for the rapid typing of bean nodule isolates.