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Inactivation of the phosphatase CheZ alters cell-surface properties of Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 and symbiotic association with Sesbania rostrata.

Azorhizobium caulinodans can form root and stem nodules with the host plant Sesbania rostrata. The role of the CheZ phosphatase in the A. caulinodans chemotaxis pathway was previously explored using the non-chemotactic cheZ mutant strain (AC601). This mutant displayed stronger attachment to the root surface, enhancing early colonization but this did not result into increased nodulation efficiency. In this study, we further investigated the role of CheZ in the interaction between ORS571 and the roots of its host plant. By tracking long-term colonization dynamic of cheZ mutant marked with LacZ, we found a decrease of colonization of the cheZ mutant during this process. Furthermore, cheZ mutant could not spread on root surface freely and was gradually outcompeted by the wild type in original colonization sites. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analyses showed that exp genes encoding exopolysaccharides synthesis, including oac3, were highly expressed in cheZ mutant. Construction of a strain carrying a deletion of both cheZ and oac3 resulted in a mutant strain defective in the colonization process to the same extent as found with the oac3 single mutant strain. This result suggested that the enhanced colonization of the cheZ mutant may be achieved through regulating the formation of EPS. This shows the importance of the chemotactic proteins in the interaction between rhizobia and host plant, and expands our understanding about the symbiosis interaction between rhizobium and host plant.