Query: NC_011988:1036618 Agrobacterium vitis S4 chromosome 2, complete genome
Lineage: Agrobacterium vitis; Agrobacterium; Rhizobiaceae; Rhizobiales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Agrobacterium vitis is the causative agent of crown gall disease in grapes. Agrobacterium are Gram-negative, motile, soil-dwelling plant pathogens with the species name given based on the disease phenotype associated with the bacteria. Disease causing Agrobacterium spp. possess a tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid, which carries genes for the formation of opines. A segment of the Ti plasmid gets transferred to the plant cell and integrates into the host cell genome. The plant cell then starts synthesizing opines, which can be catabolized by Agrobacterium spp, but not by the plant cells.
Subject: NC_008380:4532969 Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841, complete genome
Lineage: Rhizobium leguminosarum; Rhizobium; Rhizobiaceae; Rhizobiales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: This biovar nodulates legumes in the Tribe Viciae (Vicia, Pisum, Lathyrus, Lens). This strain is a spontaneous streptomycin-resistant mutant of strain 300. Nitrogen-fixing plant symbiont. This organism, like other Rhizobia, establishes a symbiotic relationship with a legume plant, providing nitrogen in exchange for a protected environment. The legume roots secrete flavonoids and isoflavonoids which the bacteria recognize and use to turn on genes involved in root nodulation. Many of the root nodulation genes are involved in synthesis and secretion of a nodule inducing signal, a lipochito-oligosaccharide molecule, which the plant recognizes, triggering nodule formation. The bacterium is endocytosed and exists inside a membrane bound organelle, the symbiosome, and fixes nitrogen for the plant cell while the host cell provides carbon compounds for the bacterium to grow on. The nitrogen fixation is important as it obviates the need for expensive and environmentally damaging fertilizer use.