Broad host spectrum rhizobiaceae nodulation signals

Nod factors of general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are hydrogen atom, a carbamyl group or an acetyl group; R.sub.5 is the aliphatic chain of a fatty acid; n is 1-4; and one or more of substituents R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is a carbamyl group, and/or R.sub.4 is a methyl group, and/or R.sub.6 is an optionally substituted monosaccharide or oligosaccharide attached to the glucosamin via a glycoside bond.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to the preparation of novel, broad host spectrum 
nodulation signals (Nod factors). 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Sol bacteria which belong to the genera Azorhizobium, Bradyrhizobium, 
Sinorhizobium and Rhizobium, (which are referred to under the general term 
rhizobia) are capable of interacting with the roots of legumes in order to 
form nodules in which they fix atmospheric nitrogen. However, only certain 
combinations of bacteria and plants result in nodulation and host 
specificity of rhizobia varies greatly [LONG, Cell. 56, 203 (1989)]; 
[MARTINEZ et al., Crit. Rev. Plant Sci., 23, 483 (1990)]; [DENARIE et al., 
in Molecular Signals in Plant-Microbe Communications, D.P.S. Verma Ed. pp. 
295-324 (CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1992)]. Certain rhizobia (for example R. 
leguminosarum and R. meliloti) form nodules on only a small number of 
legume species, while, on the other hand, others have a broader host 
spectrum and can form an association with a large number of plants. 
Nodule formation results from a coordinated expression of plant genes and 
bacterial genes. The expression of rhizobial nodulation genes (nod) is 
controlled by nodD regulator genes whose products are activated by 
flavonoids which are secreted by the roots of the plants. The ability of 
the NodD proteins to interact with the plant flavonoids in a specific 
manner defines a first level of host specificity. 
Moreover, two categories of structural nod genes exist: genes which are in 
common and specific genes. The nodABC genes are common to all rhizobia, 
while nod genes, which are specific to the species, are the major 
determinants of host specificity. 
It has been shown that the common nod genes and the specific nod genes are 
simultaneously involved in the production of extracellular Nod factors 
which cause deformation of root hairs in legumes. Some inventors have 
identified Nod factors, termed NodRm, in R. meliloti which factors have a 
lipo-oligosaccharide structure, whose biosynthesis is under the control of 
common nodABC genes, and which are glucosamine oligomers linked to each 
other by .beta.-1,4 bonds, N-acylated on the non-reducing terminal 
glucosamine and N-acetylated on the other glucosamine residues 
(Application PCT FR/9100283 in the names of the INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA 
RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE and the CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE 
SCIENTIFIQUE). Host specificity is subsequently determined by the nature 
of the substituents attached to this skeleton which they have in common. 
In the case of R. meliloti, the function of major host specificity genes 
(nodH and nodPQ) is to determine the sulfation of these 
lipo-oligosaccharide factors [ROCHE et al., Cell, 67, 1131 (1991)], while, 
in the case of R. leguminosarum, the nodFE genes control the synthesis of 
a highly unsaturated lipid residue [SPAINK et al., Nature, 354, 125, 
(1991)]. 
The strain Rhizobium sp. NGR234 has a unique place amongst the legume 
symbionts; it has, in fact, the broadest host spectrum of all known 
rhizobia, and it is known at present that it causes nodulation of over 60 
legume species. Amongst these hosts there are, in particular, most of the 
commercially important legumes such as, for example, soya bean or 
groundnut. Rhizobium NGR234 can, moreover, cause nodulation of plants 
which do not belong to the legumes, such as, for example, Parasponia 
andersonii. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The inventors have sought to isolate and identify the Nod factors which are 
responsible for the broad host spectrum of Rhizohium sp. NGR234 and were 
able to characterize a novel family of Nod factors termed NodNGR factors. 
These NodNGR factors are lipooligosaccharides which belong to the same 
family as the NodRm factors which have already been described by some of 
the inventors (Application PCT FR/9100283), but also have structural 
characteristics which allow them to be distinguished from Nod Rm factors. 
Firstly, their reducing terminal glucosamine residue is substituted on the 
C6 by a different sugar; 
Secondly, their non-reducing terminal glucosamine can be esterified by one 
or more carbamoyl groups; 
Thirdly, the nitrogen atom which is substituted by the long-chain fatty 
acid is also methylated. 
Moreover, the inventors have studied the structure of the Nod factors 
produced by a range of strains of the Rhizobiaceae from very different 
geographical origins and which are symbionts of a very wide range of 
hosts, such as Rhizobium tropici which forms nodules on beans and 
Leucaena, Sinorhizobium fredii, which forms nodules on soya beans and 
Azorhizobium caulinodans which is a symbiont of Sesbania. They found that 
the Nod factors produced by these different strains had at least one of 
the structural features observed for the NodNGR factors such as the 
presence of a sugar on the reducing terminal glucosamine (Sinorhizobium 
fredii, Azorhizobium caulinodans, Rhizobium phaseoli) or of an N-methyl 
group on the non-reducing terminal glucosamine (Rhizobium tropici, 
Azorhizobium caulinodans). 
The novel Nod factors of the invention, which show at least one of the 
three structural characteristics mentioned hereinabove, will generally be 
termed hereinafter NodNGR-type Nod factors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
More particularly, the NodNGR-type Nod factors obtained from NGR234 will 
hereinbelow be termed NodNGR factors. Nod factors obtained from other 
strains studied by the inventors and having at least one of these 
characteristics represent NodNGR-type Nod factors. It seems that the 
source of NodNGR-type Nod factors can be very varied. 
The present invention relates to Nod factors of the general formula (I) 
hereinbelow: 
##STR2## 
in which: R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 represent a hydrogen atom, a 
carbamoyl group or an acetyl group; 
R.sub.5 represents the aliphatic chain of a fatty acid; 
n is between 1 and 4, and wherein: 
one or more of the substituents R.sub.1, R.sub.2 or R.sub.3 is a carbamoyl 
group, and/or 
R.sub.4 represents a methyl group, and/or 
R.sub.6 represents a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide, optionally 
substituted, and linked to the glucosamine by a glycosidic linkage. 
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention , R.sub.5 represents the 
aliphatic chain of a C.sub.10-24 -, preferably a C.sub.14-20 -, fatty 
acid. 
In a preferred form of this embodiment, R.sub.5 is the aliphatic chain of 
vaccenic acid or palmitic acid. 
Vaccenic acid and palmitic acid are major substituents found in 
preparations of NodNGR factors from Rhizobium NGR234; however, a large 
number of different fatty acids varying as much with regard to the number 
of carbon atoms of the aliphatic chain as by the degree of unsaturation, 
or by the presence of substituents such as hydroxyl groups on said 
aliphatic chain, was observed; no effect of these variations on the 
activity of the NodNGR factors was found by the inventors. 
In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, R.sub.6 is 
selected from the monosaccharide group comprising optionally substituted 
fucose and optionally substituted arabinose. 
In an advantageous arrangement of this embodiment, R.sub.6 has the general 
formula (II): 
##STR3## 
in which: R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 represent a hydrogen atom, an acetyl group 
or a sulfate group, 
R.sub.10 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. 
In a preferred form of this arrangement, R.sub.7 is a hydrogen atom and 
R.sub.8 a sulfate group. 
In another preferred form of this arrangement, R.sub.7 is an acetyl group 
and R.sub.8 a hydrogen atom. 
In yet another preferred form of this arrangement, both R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 
are hydrogen atoms. 
The NodNGR factors belong to the same family of molecules as the NodRm 
factors which have been purified from R. meliloti: all have in common the 
skeleton of D-glucosamine residues linked to each other by .beta.-1,4 
linkages, are N-acylated on the non-reducing terminal glucosamine and 
N-acetylated on the other residues. These structural similarities tie in 
with the observations made before by some of the inventors and confirm 
that, in all rhiozobia, the function of the nodABC genes is to control the 
synthesis of a skeletal structure of N-acylated and N-acetylated 
oligochitosan. The work carried out by the inventors therefore reveals 
that the Nod factors of all Rhizobiaceae belong to the same chemical 
family. 
In the NodRm factors, the fatty acid chain contains at least one conjugated 
double bond which seems to play an essential role in the induction of 
nodular meristems; in contrast, the NodNGR factors are N-acylated with 
vaccenic acid or palmitic acid and therefore do not have a conjugated 
double bond. The nitrogen atom which is substituted by a long-chain fatty 
acid is also methylated in the NodNGR factors. These observations allow 
the hypothesis to be put forward that certain biological activities of the 
Nod-type lipo-oligosaccharides require a certain structural configuration 
at the joint between the lipid part and the saccharide skeletal structure. 
These structural conditions would be provided in one case by the 
conjugated double bond and, in the other case by the N-methyl group. 
The family of the NodNGR factors is very large. Mass spectrometry analysis 
using fast-atom bombardment ionization (FAB-MS) and also nuclear magnetic 
resonance analysis have shown that the following variations exist in the 
substituents: 
1) The 2-O-methylfucose residue can be unsubstituted or else sulfated on 
O-3 or acetylated on O-4; 
2) The nitrogen atom of the non-reducing terminal glucosamine can be 
acylated by palmitic acid or else by vaccenic acid; 
3) The number of carbamoyl substituents on the non-reducing terminal 
glucosamine varies between zero and two. 
The combinations of these possible different substituents lead to at least 
18 (=3.times.2.times.3) possible structures if the carbamoyl substitution 
sites are fixed and their number may even be greater to the extent that 
the carbamoyl group substitution site, or sites, can vary between 
positions O-3, O-4 and O-6. It is reasonable to assume that it is in 
particular this structural diversity which is responsible for the broad 
host spectrum of the NodNGR factors. 
The invention also relates to rhizobia strains which overproduce NodNGR 
type factors, which comprise at least one recombinant plasmid expressing a 
regulator gene nodD from NGR234 and in particular a rhizobium strain 
NGR234 which overproduces Nod factors, which strain is obtained by 
introducing, into NGR234, a recombinant multicopy plasmid termed pA28 
which expresses a regulator gene nodD from NGR234, so as to increase the 
number of copies of this gene, which results in an at least 10-fold 
increase of the amount of Nod factors produced. 
The invention also encompasses recombinant plasmids carrying the regulator 
gene nodD1 from NGR234, in particular plasmid pA28, which results from 
inserting an EcoRI-PstI fragment from plasmid pNGRH6 [BASSAM et al. Mol. 
Plant-Microbe Interact, 1, 161, (1988)], which carries the nodD1 region 
from NGR234, into plasmid pRK7813 [JONES and GUTTERSON, Gene, 61, 299-306, 
(1987)]. 
The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of NodNGR 
factors, or NodNGR-type factors, which process comprises a step in which 
at least one strain of rhizobia producing said Nod factors is cultured. 
Preferably, a strain will be chosen into which a plasmid according to the 
invention has been introduced. 
In a preferred embodiment of the preparation process of NodNGR-type factors 
according to the invention, it comprises, moreover, a step in which one or 
more fractions comprising said factors are extracted from said culture of 
rhizobia strains. 
In a preferred arrangement of this embodiment, the NodNGR factors are 
extracted from culture supernatant by reverse-phase chromatography, by 
absorption on a silica column to which hydrophobic groups, such as 
octadecyl residues, are grafted, followed by elution with methanol. 
The present invention also relates to a plant treatment agent comprising, 
as active ingredient, at least one NodNGR factor or NodNGR-type factor as 
defined further above, which can be used in particular: 
as an agent for stimulating symbiotic properties of legumes, especially 
with regard to nitrogen fixation; 
as an agent for stimulating the defence mechanisms of plants against 
pathogene. 
Said plant treatment agent preferably comprises a mixture of NodNGR factors 
and/or NodNGR-type factors. It can advantageously also comprise other Nod 
factors, for example NodRm-type factors. 
In an advantageous embodiment of the plant treatment agent according to the 
present invention, the composition is included in a solid carrier, such as 
granules, or else formulated in the form of a coating composition for seed 
or an aqueous solution or suspension for spraying, in which a Nod factor 
or Nod factors, according to the invention are present alone or in 
association with other components, such as, for example, other Nod 
factors. 
In another advantageous embodiment of the plant treatment agent according 
to the present invention, a Nod factor, or each of the ingredients of a 
mixture of Nod factors, according to the invention are present in the 
coating compositions or in the aqueous solutions or suspensions at a 
concentration of between 10.sup.-6 M and 10.sup.-14 M. 
Moreover, the present invention relates to a therapeutic agent comprising, 
as active ingredient, at least one NodNGR factor or NodNGR-type factor as 
defined further above. 
In an advantageous embodiment of this therapeutic agent, said factor is 
present in the therapeutic agent at a concentration of between 10.sup.-4 M 
and 10.sup.-8 M. 
Besides the above arrangements, the invention also encompasses other 
arrangements which will emerge from the description which follows. 
It must be understood, however, that these examples as well as the appended 
drawings are given only by way of illustrating the subject of the 
invention but without imposing any limitation whatsoever. 
EXAMPLE 1 
PRODUCTION OF A STRAIN OF RHIZOBIACEAE BACTERIA WHICH OVERPRODUCE NodNGR 
FACTORS 
Strain NGR234 and its DNA were engineered as described by BROUGHTON et al. 
(Arch. Microbial. 141, 14 (1985)) and PERRET et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. 
Sci. 88, 1923 (1991)), or by means of traditional techniques (J. SAMBROOK 
et al., Molecular Cloning. A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor 
Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor (1989)). 
A 2.9 kb EcoR1 fragment containing the nodD1 region from NRG234 was excised 
from plasmid pNGRH6 [BASSAM et al., Mol., Plant-Microbe Interact. 1, 161, 
(1988)] and then digested with Pst1. The resulting 2.2 kb EcoR1-Pst1 
fragment was cloned into pRK7813 at the Pst1 site to give plasmid pA28. 
pA28 is reintroduced into Rhizobium sp. NGR234 (Rif.sup.R) by means of 
conjugation. The resulting strain NGR(pA28) overproduces Nod factors. It 
is Nod.sup.+ on L. leucocephala, M. atropurpureum, and V. unguiculata. 
FIG. 1 shows the restriction map of the EcoR1 fragment. The restriction 
sites are designated as follows: 
______________________________________ 
B = BamH1, C = Cla1, E = EcoR1, 
P = Psi1, S = Sst1. 
______________________________________ 
EXAMPLE 2 
PURIFICATION OF THE NodNGR FACTORS 
The bacteria NGR234 or NGR234(pa28) are cultured at 27.degree. C. on B+D 
medium (W. J. BROUGHTON and M. J. DILWORTH, Biochem. J. 125, 1075 (1971)) 
containing 12 mM succinate, 6 mM glutamate, 1 ml/litre of GAMBORG's 
Vitamin B5 solution (Sigma, St, Louis, Mo.) (=RMM3) to the end of the 
logarithmic phase. 
For analysis by thin-layer chromatography, 30 ml of cultured bacteria (NGR 
234) are induced using 10.sup.-6 M of apigenin, which induces the 
expression of the nodD genes from NGR234, in the presence of 1 .mu.Ci/ml 
of sodium sulfate labeled with sulfur-35, or sodium acetate labeled with 
carbon-14. 
The supernatants are extracted on SEPPAK C.sub.18 cartridges (Waters 
Assoc., Milford, Mass.), washed with distilled water and eluted using 
methanol. The concentrated methanol extracts are applied to silica gel 60 
G plates (MERCK, DARMSTADT); chromatography is carried out in a 
chloroform: methanol: 5M NH.sub.4 OH (5:4:1 by volume) mixture, and the 
plate is placed on a FUJI RX film (Fuji Photo Film Co, TOKYO). 
Induction of nod genes by 10.sup.-6 M apigenin in the presence of .sup.14 
C-labeled acetate or .sup.35 S-labeled sulfate results in two radioactive 
spots on the TLC plates. Extraction of the active principles contained in 
each of these spots allows substances to be obtained which cause 
deformation of the root hairs of Macroptilium. This demonstrates that 
NGR234 secretes sulfur-containing Nod factors. On the other hand, no spot 
obtained from an NGR234 derivative can be detected in which the nodABC 
genes have been deleted. Moreover, if the number of copies of the nodD1 
gene (regulator gene) is increased by introducing plasmid pA28 into 
NGR234, an increased production of Nod factors is observed, the Mount 
produced being multiplied by a factor of 5 to 10. 
For chemical analysis, the Nod factors were isolated from the culture 
supernatant of NGR234 containing plasmid pA28, following induction with 
apigenin. This production on a larger scale is effected using 50 litres of 
NGR234(pa28) bacterial culture which has previously been induced with 
apigenin in RMM3 medium. The lipophilic material is recovered on a 
C.sub.18 reversed-phase column (LICHROSORB-18, 40 .mu., MERCK, DARMSTADT). 
The column is washed with 50 times its volume of distilled water and 
eluted with 10 volumes of methanol. The methanolic solution is evaporated 
in vacuo and diluted with 100 ml of distilled water. After filtration, the 
aqueous solution is extracted using 50 ml of ethyl acetate to extract, in 
particular, apigenin. The aqueous solution is concentrated, and the 
water-soluble constituents are separated by preparative HPLC on a C.sub.18 
reversed-phase column. Elution is monitored at 206 nm. The solvent is a 
gradient of acetonitrile in water. 
Two major peaks termed fractions A and B were collected in this way. 
Fraction A (0.3 mg/l of the starting culture) co-elutes with the material 
originating from the culture labeled with sulfur-35, while fraction B (0.5 
mg/l of the original culture) is not labeled under these conditions. The 
comparison of biological activities of these two fractions is described 
hereinbelow in Example 4. 
EXAMPLE 3 
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NodNGR FACTORS 
Hydrolysis with trifluoroacetic acid (4M for 4 hours at 100.degree. C.) of 
each of the two fractions liberates sugars and fatty acids. The sugars 
were identified as D-glucosamine, N-methyl-D-glucosamine and 
2-O-methyl-L-fucose, either by gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, 
(GC-MS) of their alditol acetate derivatives, or else by gas 
chromatographic analysis of their (+)-2-butanolglycosides. Two acids were 
identified: the largest component as being vaccenic acid 
(11-Z-octadecenoic acid), while the minor component (approximately 20% of 
the total) was identified as palmitic acid. The existence of a skeleton 
which they have in common and which is composed of pentameric 
N-acetyl-glucosamine oligomers having a plurality of substituents was 
deduced from the FAB mass spectrum, which reveals series of ions separated 
by 203 mass units (molar mass of an N-acetylglucosamine residue). 
Fraction A is a mixture of a plurality of sulfated compounds, as confirmed 
by the ease with which the SO.sub.3 radical is lost in positive ionized 
form. The molecular weight of the major component, deduced from the 
spectrum of negative ions, is 1595. Other components with a mass of less 
than 43 or 26 mass units, or a combination of the two, were detected. This 
latter difference corresponds to the difference between the molecular 
weight of vaccenic acid and the molecular weight of palmitic acid. 
Equally, the difference of 43 mass units, which was repeated twice, was 
attributed to the presence or absence of additional CO--NH groups 
(carbamoyl residues). The fact that this pattern of three peaks which are 
separated by 43 mass units accompanied by satellite peaks at a distance of 
26 mass units is observed each time a glycosidic linkage is ruptured in 
the form of positive ions (formation of oxenium ions) justifies the 
localization of carbamoyl groups of the non-reducing terminal glucosamine. 
Moreover, if the mass of the oxenium ions of m/z 440, 483 and 526 is 
subtracted from the mass of a vaccenyl residue (ketene) and, if 
appropriate, the mass of zero, one or two carbamoyl groups (43 mass 
units), the mass of the oxenium ion of a methylglucosamine is obtained. 
This allows the N-methylglucosamine to be localized at the non-reducing 
end of the oligosaccharide. 
Fraction B is also a mixture. Two major components were identified 
(molecular weights 1557 and 1515, respectively). The difference of 42 mass 
units between these two components suggests that the second is a 
monoacetylated form of the first. On the other hand, as in fraction A, 
other components in which the mass is lower than 43 or 26 mass units are 
also present. As in the case of the components of fraction A, the 
carbamoyl groups are localized on the non-reducing terminal 
N-methylglucosamine which has carries the N-acyl group. In contrast, the 
additional acetyl group, which is not present in any of the oxenium ions 
observed, is localized near the reducing end. 
The carbon-13 NMR spectrum is compatible with the presence of carbamoyl 
groups (.delta.=161.09, 160.62 and 159.80 ppm) and the presence of the 
other substituents described above. The proton NMR spectrum attributes 
.beta. configurations to the linkages between glucosamines and .alpha. 
configurations for the linkage between 2-O-methylfucose and the reducing 
glucosamine. The COSY spectrum shows a correlation between the H-5 of the 
fucose and a deshielded proton .delta.=4.53 ppm in the case of the 
compounds of fraction B. This allows the position of the acetyl group to 
be attributed to the 0-4 position of 2-O-methylfucose. In parallel, the 
COSY spectrum of the compound of fraction A shows a correlation between 
the H-2 of 2-O-methylfucose (3.67 ppm) and the deshielded H-3 proton at 
.delta.=4.65 ppm, which allows the sulfate group to be localized at the 
O-3 of 2-O-methylfucose. This latter attribution is confirmed by analysis 
of the sugars obtained by hydrolysis of the reduced and permethylated 
fraction A, which shows the presence of dimethyl-2,4-fucose. Moreover, by 
identifying trimethyl-1,2,3,5-glucosaminitol in the hydrolysis products of 
the reduced and permethylated fractions A and B, it can be confirmed that 
the methylfucose is linked glycosidically to the O-6 of the reducing 
glucosamine. Finally, this analysis also shows 1-4 linkages between the 
various glucosamines. Since the methylation conditions result in the 
simultaneous elimination the ester groups (acetates and carbamates), the 
position of these groups cannot be determined by this method. However, the 
major components of fractions A and B are bicarbamylated while the types 
which lack carbamoyl substituents are in the minority. 
EXAMPLE 4 
TEST FOR GROWTH OF ROOT HAIRS (Hai) AND DEFORMATION OF ROOT HAIRS (Had) 
CAUSED BY NOD-SULFATED AND NON-SULFATED FACTORS FROM RHIZOBIUM NGR234 ON 
MACROPTILIUM ATROPURPUREUM, MEDICAGO SATIVA, VICIA SATIVA AND VIGNA 
UNGUICULATA 
The two fractions A and B, (sulfated and non-sulfated) were separated by a 
reverse-phase HPLC chromatography following the protocol described in 
Example 2 and were tested separately for their biological activity. 
The Had test (deformation of root hairs) on M. sativa and Hai test 
(proliferation and bending of the root hairs) on V. sativa were carried 
out as described by ROCHE et al. [Cell., 76, 1131 (1991)]. In the Bad 
tests on Macroptilium and Vigna, sterile plantlets are placed into 
modified Eppendorf tubes (with the cap and part of the bottom removed), 
and the Eppendorf tubes containing the plantlets are suspended into test 
tubes whose bottom is painted black in order to protect the roots from 
light, in such a manner that the root tip is in contact with 10 ml of B+D 
medium. After incubation for 60 hours (16-hour day, 30.degree. C.; 8-hour 
night, 20.degree. C.), the roots are removed, stained with Methylene Blue 
and examined under an inverted microscope. Those root systems which 
clearly show branching or bending (prolific ramifications or bending at 
more than one point in the root system) are termed Had.sup.+. Those roots 
which are covered in root hairs are termed Hai.sup.+. 10 plants were used 
for each treatment and dilution. Moreover, 40 (Macroptilium and Vigna) and 
60 (Medicago and Vicia) plantlets are used as control plants (grown on 
medium only) in order to estimate the intrinsic variability of the 
characters Bad and Hai between one plant and another. 
The results are shown in Table I hereinbelow. These results show the number 
of plants (above 10) which show a positive Bad or Hai activity. The 
numbers are followed by .sup.S if the ratio of Had.sup.+ or Hai.sup.+ is 
significantly higher (probability P=0.05) in the treated plants than in 
the controls (analyzed using the Fisher test). 
NodRm-IV (Ac,S) is the major sulfated Nod factor of strain R. meliloti 
2011. It is used as positive control for Bad activity on Medicago. 
NodRm-IV(Ac) is a non-sulfated Nod factor of NodH.sup.- mutants of R. 
meliloti. It is used as positive control for Hai activity on Vicia. 
TABLE 1 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
CONCENTRATION Nod FACTOR (M) 
10.sup.-7 
10.sup.-8 
10.sup.-9 
10.sup.-10 
10.sup.-11 
10.sup.-12 
10.sup.-13 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
Macroptilium 
(Had) 
NodNRG nt 10.sup.s 
10.sup.s 
7.sup.s 
3.sup.s 
0 
sulfated 
NodNGR nt 10.sup.s 
9.sup.s 
4.sup.s 
1 0 
non-sulfated 
Vigna 
(Had) 
NodNRG 10.sup.s 
10.sup.s 
10.sup.s 
10.sup.s 
10.sup.s 
9.sup.s 
6.sup.s 
sulfated 
NodNGR 10.sup.s 
10.sup.s 
10.sup.s 
8.sup.s 
5.sup.s 
4 nt 
non-sulfated 
Medicago 
(Had) 
NodNRG 9.sup.s 
8.sup.s 
9.sup.s 
5.sup.s 
3.sup.s 
1 
sulfated 
NodNGR 5.sup.s 
1 2 0 1 1 
non-sulfated 
NodRM-IV nt 9.sup.s 
8.sup.s 
7.sup.s 
6.sup.s 
4.sup.s 
(AC,S) 
Vicia 
(Hai) 
NodNRG 4.sup.s 
5.sup.s 
3.sup.s 
0 0 0 
sulfated 
NodNGR 10.sup.s 
10.sup.s 
9.sup.s 
2.sup.s 
0 0 
non-sulfated 
NodRM-IV (Ac) 
nt 10.sup.s 
10.sup.s 
8.sup.s 
2.sup.s 
0 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
nt = non tested 
In root hair deformation tests (Had) carried out with host plants of 
NGR234, the two groups of NodNGR factors are active at concentrations of 
as little as 10.sup.-10 M/10.sup.-11 M in Macroptilium and 10.sup.-11 
M/10.sup.-12 M in Vigna. Moreover, in Vigna, the NodRm factors induce not 
only deformations of the hairiness of the roots, but also of the 
appearance of a large number of root hairs, as well as bending of the root 
hairs (Hai). 
The sulfated NodRm factors obtained from R. meliloti are Had.sup.+ in 
Medicago sativa, and Hai.sup.- in Vicia sativa supsp. nigra. In contrast, 
the non-sulfated NodRm factors secreted by NodH.sup.- mutants of R. 
meliloti are Had.sup.- in Medicago and Hai.sup.+ in Vicia. Interestingly, 
sulfated and non-sulfated NodNGR factors have a biological activity on 
both legumes. In Medicago, the sulfated NodNGR factors are 10,000 times 
more active than the non-sulfated factors and cause deformation of the 
hairiness of the roots at concentrations of less than 10.sup.-11 mole. 
The sulfated NodNGR factors differ from the sulfated NodRm factors with 
regard to a large number of criteria: for example, the presence of 
carbamoyl groups and of a methylfucose residue, localization of the 
sulfate group on the fucose instead of the glucosamine, the absence of a 
conjugated double bond on the acyl chain which substitutes the nitrogen, 
and the presence of a methyl group which substitutes the nitrogen. 
However, both types of factors are active in Medicago, and their activity 
decreases by a factor of approximately 10,000 when the sulfate group is 
removed, which demonstrates that Medicago is highly sensitive to sulfated 
Nod factors. In contrast, in Vicia, the non-sulfated compounds are more 
active, and deformation of the hairiness of the roots is observed at 
concentrations of less than 10.sup.-11 M.