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Strigolactones pp 91–103Cite as

Analyzing the Effect of Strigolactones on the Motility Behavior of Rhizobia

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2309))

Abstract

In the Rhizobium–legume symbiosis, strigolactones (SLs) promote root nodule formation; however, the exact mechanism underlying this positive effect remains unknown. The recent finding that an SL receptor legume mutant shows a wild-type nodulation phenotype suggests that SLs influence the symbiosis by acting on the bacterial partner. In agreement with this, the application of the synthetic SL analog GR24 on the alfalfa symbiont Sinorhizobium (Ensifer) meliloti has been shown to stimulate swarming, a specialized bacterial surface motility, which could influence infection of legumes by Rhizobia. Surface motility assays for many bacteria, and particularly for Rhizobia, are challenging. The establishment of protocols to study bacterial surface motility is key to decipher the role of SLs as rhizosphere cues for rhizobacteria. In this chapter, we describe a set of protocols implemented to study the different types of motility exhibited by S. meliloti.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants PGC2018-096477-B-I00, RTI2018-094350-B-C31 and AGL2017-88-083-R from the Spanish National R&D Plan of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities Economy and Competitiveness, and European Regional Development Funds (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, EU).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems, Estación Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC), Granada, Spain

    Lydia M. Bernabéu-Roda, Juan Antonio López-Ráez & María J. Soto

Authors
  1. Lydia M. Bernabéu-Roda
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  2. Juan Antonio López-Ráez
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  3. María J. Soto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to María J. Soto .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    Cristina Prandi

  2. DISAFA-PlantStressLab, University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy

    Francesca Cardinale

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Bernabéu-Roda, L.M., López-Ráez, J.A., Soto, M.J. (2021). Analyzing the Effect of Strigolactones on the Motility Behavior of Rhizobia. In: Prandi, C., Cardinale, F. (eds) Strigolactones. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2309. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1429-7_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1429-7_8

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-1428-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-1429-7

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