Skip to main content
Log in

Protective Role of the Polysaccharide-containing Capsular Components of Azospirillum brasilense

  • Published:
Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The involvement of the carbohydrate components of the Azospirillum brasilenseSp245 capsules in bacterial protection from the action of extreme factors was investigated. The survival of encapsulated and non-encapsulated azospirilla exposed to elevated (46–48°C) and below-freezing (–20 and –70°C) temperatures, extreme pH values (2 and 10), and to drying was studied. High-molecular-weight carbohydrate-containing complexes (lipopolysaccharide–protein complex and polysaccharide–lipid complex) were isolated from the capsular material of azospirilla. It was shown that the addition of these complexes to the suspension of decapsulated cells before exposing them to extreme factors enhanced their survival rates by 15 to 51%.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Berg, R.H., Tyler, M.E., Novick, N.J., Vasil, V., and Vasil, I.K., Biology of Azospirillum–Sugarcane Association: Enhancement of Nitrogenase Activity, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 1980, vol. 39, pp. 642–649.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Jofre, E., Rivarola, V., Balegno, H., and Mori, G., Differential Gene Expression in Azospirillum brasilense Cd Under Saline Stress, Can. J. Microbiol., 1998, vol. 44, no. 10, pp. 929–936.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Lamm, R.B. and Neyra, C.A., Characterization and Cyst Production of Azospirilla Isolated from Selected Grasses Growing in New Jersey and New York, Can. J. Microbiol., 1981, vol. 27, pp. 1320–1325.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Neyra, C.A., Atkinson, A., and Olubayi, O., Coaggregation of Azospirillum with Other Bacteria: Basis for Functional Diversity, Azospirillum VI and Related Microorganisms, Fendrik, I. et al., Eds., Berlin: Springer, 1995, vol. 37, pp. 429–439.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Fages, J., An Optimized Process for Manufacturing an Azospirillum Inoculant for Crops, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 1990, vol. 32, pp. 473–478.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Sadasivan, L. and Neyra, C.A., Flocculation in Azospirillum brasilense and Azospirillum lipoferum: Exopolysaccharides and Cyst Formation, J. Bacteriol., 1985, vol. 163, pp. 716–723.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Skvortsov, I.M. and Ignatov, V.V., Extracellular Polysaccharides and Polysaccharide-containing Biopolymers from Azospirillum Species: Properties and the Possible Role in Interaction with Plant Roots, FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 1998, vol. 165, pp. 223–229.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Konnova, S.A., Makarov, O.E., Skvortsov, I.M., and Ignatov, V.V., Isolation, Fractionation, and Some Properties of Polysaccharides Produced in a Bound Form by Azospirillum brasilense and Their Possible Involvement in Azospirillum– Wheat Root Interactions, FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 1994, vol. 118, no. 2, pp. 93–99.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Egorenkova, I.V., Konnova, S.A., Fedonenko, Yu.P., Dykman, L.A., and Ignatov, V.V., The Role of the Polysaccharide-containing Capsular Components of Azospirillum brasilense in Bacterial Adsorption on Wheat Seedling Roots, Mikrobiologiya, 2001, vol. 70, no. 1, pp. 45–50.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Vande Broek and Vanderleyden, J., Genetics of the Azospirillum–Plant Root Association, Crit. Rev. Plant Sci., 1995, vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 445–466.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Pirog, T.P., Grinberg, T.A., and Malashenko, Yu.R., Protective Function of the Polysaccharide Synthesized by Acinetobacter sp., Mikrobiologiya, 1997, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 335–340.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Dufrne, Y.F. and Rouxhet, P.G., Surface Composition, Surface Properties, and Adhesiveness of Azospirillum brasilense: Variation during Growth, Can. J. Microbiol., 1996, vol. 42, pp. 548–556.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Matora, L., Solovova, G., Serebrennikova, O., Selivanov, N., and Shchyogolev, S., Immunological Properties of Azospirillum Cell Surface: The Structure of Carbohydrate Antigens and Evaluation of Their Involvement in Bacteria–Plant Contact Interactions, Azospirillum VI and Related Microorganisms, Fendrik, I. et al., Eds., Berlin: Springer, 1995, vol. 37, pp. 377–382.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Konnova, S.A., Makarov, O.E., Skvortsov, I.M., and Ignatov, V.V., The Exopolysaccharides of Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 and Sp107, Mikrobiol. Zh. (Kiev), 1992, vol. 54, no. 2, pp. 31–42.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Rokitskii, P.F., Biologicheskaya statistika (Biostatistics), Minsk: Vysheishaya Shkola, 1973, p. 320.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Yagoda-Shagam, J., Barton, L.L., Reed, W.P., and Chiovetti, R., Fluorescein Isothiocyanate–labeled Lectin Analysis of the Surface of the Nitrogen-fixing Bacterium Azospirillum brasilense by Flow Cytometry, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 1988, vol. 54, no. 7, pp. 1831–1837.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Munblit, V.Ya., Tal'roze, V.L., and Trofimov, V.I., Termoinaktivatsiya mikroorganizmov (Thermoinactivation of Microorganisms), Moscow: Nauka, 1985, p. 248.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Stephan, M.P., Pedrosa, F.O., and Dbereiner, J., Physiological Studies with Azospirillum spp. Associative N2-Fixation, Florida: Boca Raton, 1981, pp. 8–12.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kushner, D.J., Life of Microorganisms at High Salt and Solute Concentrations, Microbial Life in Extreme Environments, Kushner, D.J., Ed., London: Academic, 1978. Translated under the title Zhizn' mikrobov v ekstremal'nykh usloviyakh, Moscow: Mir, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Aktual'nye problemy kriobiologii (Topical Problems in Cryobiology), Pushkar', N.S. and Belous, A.M., Eds., Kiev: Naukova Dumka, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Vorob'ev, V.A., Simbioticheskaya azotfiksatsiya i temperatura (The Effect of Temperature on Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation), Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Konnova, S.A., Brykova, O.S., Sachkova, O.A. et al. Protective Role of the Polysaccharide-containing Capsular Components of Azospirillum brasilense. Microbiology 70, 436–440 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010434227671

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010434227671

Navigation