Transcription of rhiA, a gene on a Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae Sym plasmid, requires rhiR and is repressed by flavanoids that induce nod genes.
Strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar viciae specifically make an abundant protein (Rhi) in free-living culture but not in bacteroids. Genes needed for Rhi synthesis are on a Sym plasmid and here we show that one of these genes, rhiA, is the structural gene that specifies this polypeptide. Transcription of rhiA requires a regulatory gene, rhiR, located close to rhiA and to nod genes involved in nodulation. Mutations in rhiA or rhiR do not appear to affect symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Transcription of rhiA is repressed in cells grown in the presence of the flavanone hesperetin or the flavone apigenin, both of which are potent inducers of transcription of nod genes. This was deduced from the use of rhiA-lacZ fusions; however, when the Rhi polypeptide was detected in SDS gels, there was no apparent difference in the intensity of its staining in extracts obtained from cells grown with or without these flavanoid nod gene inducer molecules. However, a mutation in a nodulation gene, nolR, also closely linked to the nod and rhi genes, caused a severe depression in the amount of Rhi (as seen on gels) that was made in cells grown in the presence of inducer flavanoids.