Surface Characteristics of Azospirillum brasilense in Relation to Cell Aggregation and Attachment to Plant Roots

• Published in: Critical reviews in microbiology Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 91 - 110
• Main Authors: Burdman, Saul, Okon, Yaacov, Jurkevitch, Edouard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Informa UK Ltd 2000; Taylor & Francis; Informa
• Subjects: aggregation; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Azospirillum; Azospirillum brasilense; Azospirillum brasilense - physiology; Bacterial Adhesion; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins - metabolism; Biochemistry and biology; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; flocculation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lectins; Lectins - metabolism; metabolism; Microbiology; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; physiology; Plant Lectins; Plant Roots; Plant Roots - microbiology; Polysaccharides, Bacterial; Polysaccharides, Bacterial - metabolism; root attachment; soil biology; Soil science; Aggregation; Symbiosis; Plant; Spirillales; Root; Spirillaceae; Azospirillum brasilense; Vegetal microorganism relation; Bacteria; Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria; Review; Adhesion
• ISSN: 1040-841X; 1549-7828; 1549-7828
• DOI: 10.1080/10408410091154200

The free-living bacteria of the genus Azospirillum live in close association with plant roots and represent one of the best-characterized plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). The attachment of Azospirillum to the roots is essential for the establishment of an efficient association with the host plant. Azospirillum cells are able to aggregate under certain environmental conditions, leading to the formation of bacterial flocs. The bacterial surface plays an important role in the establishment of the bacteria-plant association as well as in the bacterial aggregation and data suggesting the involvement of extracellular polysaccharides and proteins in these phenomena have been published. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the involvement of surface components in the adhesion processes of Azospirillum. Emphasis is placed on A. brasilense, the species that has been the subject of most studies in the Azospirillum genus.