Extra-copy nifA enhances the nodulation efficiency of Sinorhizobium fredii

Previous investigations have shown that nifA gene is involved in nodulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation regulation of Rhizobium. We study the role of nifA on nodulation of leguminous plants. We found that Sinorhizobium fredii harboring multi-copy plasmid carrying the constitutively expressed Klebsiella pneumoniae nifA exhibited an increase of nodulation activity and nodulation competitiveness on soybean plants. The Nod-factor secreted by the rhizobia cells containing the multi-copied nifA was assayed, and preliminary results showed that S. fredii containing the multi-copy plasmid carrying nifA produced higher strength of Nod-factor than the rhizobia containing the same plasmid carrying the vector did.