Role for 2-linked-beta-D-glucan in the virulence of Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Phenol-water cell extracts of virulent Agrobacterium tumefaciens A348 and several avirulent mutants with a reduced ability to attach to plant surfaces were examined. A low-molecular-weight 2-linked-beta-D-glucan was identified in the cell wall extracts of the virulent wild-type strain. Analyses of phenol-water extracts and culture filtrates of four mutant strains showed that the mutants did not produce any 2-linked-beta-D-glucan. When these mutants were complemented, the ability to produce the glucan described above was restored. These results suggest that there is a role for 2-linked-beta-D-glucans in the attachment of A. tumefaciens to plant cells. One avirulent, attachment-defective mutant retained its ability to produce the low-molecular-weight glucan. This mutation, however, mapped to a different transcriptional unit than the mutants deficient in the glucan described above. Thus, it appears that 2-linked-beta-D-glucan is only one component that may be necessary for attachment of A. tumefaciens to plant cell surfaces.