Root Hair Deformations Associated with Fractionated Extracts from Rhizobium trifolii

Components from culture fluid and whole cells of Rhizobium trifolii were examined for effects on root hair morphology of white clover seedlings (Trifolium repens var. Ladino). Cell-free culture fluid, exopolysaccharides, supernatant fluid from the precipitation of the exopolysaccharides, capsular polysaccharides, lipopolysaccharides, and a protein fraction from culture fluids were assayed for morphogenetic effects on the root hairs of axenically grown clover seedlings. Crude fractions were chromatographed on Bio Gel A-5m (Bio-Rad Laboratories), and fractions collected were similarly assayed. Hexose, uronic acid, and protein concentrations were determined for all fractions assayed. Gel chromatography indicated the materials with deforming ability to be of high molecular weight (>10,000). For all fractions except exopolysaccharide, deforming ability was associated with a protein component. This suggested that two components were associated with deformation; both contained polysaccharides and one contained protein. Crude fractions differed in their ability to cause deformations and indicated the following relative ability (in decreasing order) to deform root hairs: cell-free culture fluid, capsular polysaccharides, protein from culture fluids, exopolysaccharide, and cell envelope. Lipopolysaccharides had no effect.