Genetics of Phytobacterial Infections
Mª José Soto Misffut (Zaidín Experimental Station, CSIC)
The group uses mutualistic symbiosis Rhizobium-legume as a study model in the identification of molecular mechanisms that govern plant-bacteria interactions. We are especially interested in revealing chemical signals and bacterial components that participate in the early stages of the interaction and that can impact the plant colonization process that takes place in both mutualistic and pathogenic associations. To do this, we use as a particular strategy the study of life on the surface of Rhizobium using multidisciplinary approaches. We are currently developing two specific lines of research:
- Identification of the molecular bases that govern surface mobility in Rhizobium
- Volatilome study of Rhizobium: biological properties that impact plant health, mechanism of action and synthesis pathways.
https://www.eez.csic.es/es/genetica-de-infecciones-fitobacterianas
Representative Publications
Nogales, J., Bernabéu-Roda, L., Cuéllar, V., and Soto, M.J. (2012) ExpR is not required for swarming but promotes sliding in Sinorhizobium meliloti. J. Bacteriol. 194(8): 2027-2035. doi: 10.1128/JB.06524-11.
Charoenpanich, P., Soto, M.J. Becker, A., and McIntosh, M. (2015) Quorum sensing restrains growth and is rapidly inactivated during domestication of Sinorhizobium meliloti. Environ. Microbiol. Rep. 7(2): 373-382. doi: 10.1111/1758-2229.12262.
Amaya-Gómez, C.V., Hirsch, A.M., and Soto, M.J. (2015) Biofilm formation assessment in Sinorhizobium meliloti reveals interlinked control with surface motility. BMC Microbiol. 15(1): 58. doi: 10.1186/s12866-015-0390-z.
Bernabéu-Roda, L., Calatrava-Morales, N., Cuéllar, V., and Soto, M.J. (2015) Characterization of surface motility in Sinorhizobium meliloti: regulation and role in symbiosis. Symbiosis 67(1-3): 79-90. doi: 10.1007/s13199-015-0340-4.
Peláez-Vico, M.A., Bernabéu-Roda, L., Kohlen, W., Soto, M.J., and López-Ráez, J.A. (2016) Strigolactones in the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis: stimulatory effect on bacterial surface motility and down-regulation of their levels in nodulated plants. Plant Sci. 245: 119-127. doi: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2016.01.012.
Calatrava-Morales, N., Nogales, J., Ameztoy, K., van Steenbergen, B., and Soto, M.J. (2017) The NtrY/NtrX system of Sinorhizobium meliloti GR4 regulates motility, EPS I production, and nitrogen metabolism but is dispensable for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 30(7): 566-577. doi: 10.1094/MPMI-01-17-0021-R.
López-Lara I.M., Nogales J., Pech-Canul A., Calatrava-Morales N., Bernabéu-Roda L.M., Cuéllar V., Durán P., Olivares J., Alvarez L., Palenzuela-Bretones D., Romero, M., Heeb S., Cámara M., Geiger O., and Soto M.J. (2018) 2-Tridecanone impacts surface-associated bacterial behaviors and hinders plant-bacteria interactions. Environ. Microbiol. 20(6): 2049-2065. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.14083.
Calatrava-Morales N. McIntosh M., and Soto M.J. (2018) Regulation mediated by N-acyl homoserine lactone quorum sensing signals in the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis. Genes 9(5): 263. doi: 10.3390/genes9050263.
Crespo-Rivas J.J., Navarro-Gómez P., Alias-Villegas J., Shi J., Zhen T., Niu Y., Cuéllar V., Moreno J., Cubo T., Vinardell J.M., Ruiz-Sainz J.E., Acosta -Jurado S., and Soto M.J. (2019) Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 RirA is required for oxidative stress resistance and efficient symbiosis with soybean. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 20(3): 787. doi: 10.3390/ijms20030787.
Pech-Canul A., Rivera-Hernández G., Nogales J., Geiger O., Soto M.J., and López-Lara I.M. (2020) Role of Sinorhizobium meliloti and Escherichia coli long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase FadD in long-term survival. Microorganisms 8, 470. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8040470.