Rhizobial communities in symbiosis with legumes: genetic diversity, competition and interactions with host plants

• Published in: Central European journal of biology Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 363 - 372
• Main Author: Wielbo, Jerzy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.06.2012; SP Versita; Versita; De Gruyter
• Subjects: Adaptations; Bacterial populations; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cell Biology; Competition; Evolution; Genetic diversity; genetic variation; Host plants; Human Genetics; Immunology; Legumes; Life Sciences; Review Article; Rhizobia; Rhizobium; Strain competition; Symbiosis; Symbiotic nitrogen fixation; Rhizobia; Genetic diversity; Symbiotic nitrogen fixation; Bacterial populations; Strain competition
• ISSN: 1895-104X; 2391-5412; 1644-3632; 2391-5412
• DOI: 10.2478/s11535-012-0032-5

The term ‘Rhizobium-legume symbiosis’ refers to numerous plant-bacterial interrelationships. Typically, from an evolutionary perspective, these symbioses can be considered as species-to-species interactions, however, such plant-bacterial symbiosis may also be viewed as a low-scale environmental interplay between individual plants and the local microbial population. Rhizobium-legume interactions are therefore highly important in terms of microbial diversity and environmental adaptation thereby shaping the evolution of plant-bacterial symbiotic systems. Herein, the mechanisms underlying and modulating the diversity of rhizobial populations are presented. The roles of several factors impacting successful persistence of strains in rhizobial populations are discussed, shedding light on the complexity of rhizobial-legume interactions.