[A Sinorhizoboium meliloti strain that can nodulate soybean plants]

Sinorhizobium meliloti XJ96077 was isolated from root nodules of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in Xinjiang Region of China. Nodulation experiments showed that both soybean and alfalfa were effectively nodulated by XJ96077. The DNA (G+ C) mol% of strain XJ96077 was 61.9%. The DNA homologies of strain XJ96077 were 93% and 80% with S. meliloti USDA1002T and 042BM, respectively. These results showed that XJ96077 belongs to Sinorhizobium meliloti. To prove the capability of XJ96077 to nodulate both soybean and alfalfa, constitutively expressed green fluorescence protein gene gfp was introduced to XJ96077, and the recombinant strain XJ96077(G) was obtained. Root nodules of the soybean and alfalfa inoculated with XJ96077(G) and the expression of gfp were observed using the confocal laser scanning microscope. XJ96077 showed various nodulation capacities with different soybean cultivars.