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Several phenotypic changes in the cell envelope of Agrobacterium tumefaciens chvB mutants are prevented by calcium limitation

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Abstract

The chvB gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens encodes a 235 kDa proteinaceous intermediate involved in the synthesis of β-1,2-glucan. chvB mutants show a pleiotropic phenotype. Besides not to produce cyclic β-1,2-glucan, chvB mutants have been reported to be avirulent, attachment-deficient, and nonmotile. In this study we report additional differences from the parent strain, probably all linked to changes in the cell envelope. This pleiotropic phenotype — except for attachment and virulence — could largely be prevented by growing chvB cells with low levels of calcium. Although a role for β-1,2-glucan in osmoadaptation has been proposed, the mode of action of β-1,2-glucan is not known. We speculate that in A. tumefaciens β-1,2-glucan stabilizes membranes, which would be important especially in hypotonic media containing calcium.

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Abbreviations

Cb:

carbenicillin

Km:

kanamycin

TCA:

trichloroacetic acid

Kav :

fraction of the stationary gel volume available for diffusion

LPS:

lipopolysaccharide

SDS-PAGE:

Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9505, 2333 AL, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Saskia Swart, Trudy J. J. Logman, Ben J. J. Lugtenberg, Gerrit Smit & Jan W. Kijne

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  1. Saskia Swart
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  2. Trudy J. J. Logman
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  3. Ben J. J. Lugtenberg
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  4. Gerrit Smit
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  5. Jan W. Kijne
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Swart, S., Logman, T.J.J., Lugtenberg, B.J.J. et al. Several phenotypic changes in the cell envelope of Agrobacterium tumefaciens chvB mutants are prevented by calcium limitation. Arch. Microbiol. 161, 310–315 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303585

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303585

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