DNA, a Possible Site of Action of Aluminum in Rhizobium spp

Al was found to penetrate the cell envelopes of both sensitive and tolerant Rhizobium strains and bind to DNA in vivo. Despite causing a reduction in viability, Al stimulated DNA synthesis in the sensitive strain, which suggested that an excision repair mechanism was operating. The Al-stimulated DNA synthesis was reduced by the simultaneous addition of chloramphenicol. In contrast to the sensitive strain, DNA synthesis was unaffected by Al binding to DNA in the tolerant strain. It is proposed that Al enters the cell and binds to the DNA helix, increasing stabilization and preventing successful replication. Different repair mechanisms appear to operate in response to Al in tolerant and sensitive strains.

[1]  Paul R. Bloom,et al.  Predicting aqueous aluminium concentrations in natural waters , 1986, Nature.

[2]  T. Goss,et al.  Maintenance of Intracellular pH and Acid Tolerance in Rhizobium meliloti , 1989, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[3]  R. Smith.  Relations among equilibrium and nonequilibrium aqueous species of aluminum hydroxy complexes , 1971 .

[4]  M. Wood,et al.  Aluminium toxicity and multiplication of Rhizobium trifolii in a defined growth medium , 1984 .

[5]  M. Wood,et al.  Acidity, aluminium and multiplication of Rhizobium trifolii: Effects of initial inoculum density and growth phase , 1988 .

[6]  J. Vincent.  A manual for the practical study of root-nodule bacteria , 1971 .

[7]  D. N. Munns,et al.  Response of Rhizobium strains to acid and aluminium stress , 1981 .

[8]  A. Sancar,et al.  A novel repair enzyme: UVRABC excision nuclease of Escherichia coli cuts a DNA strand on both sides of the damaged region , 1983, Cell.

[9]  G C Walker,et al.  Inducible DNA repair systems. , 1985, Annual review of biochemistry.

[10]  J. Sambrook,et al.  Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual , 2001 .

[11]  C. Hackett.  Stimulative Effects of Aluminium on Plant Growth , 1962, Nature.

[12]  B. Bergman,et al.  Accumulation of Aluminium by Anabaena cylindrica into Polyphosphate Granules and Cell Walls: an X-ray Energy-dispersive Microanalysis Study , 1985 .

[13]  G. Eichhorn,et al.  Interaction of metal ions with polynucleotides and related compounds. XII. The relative effect of various metal ions on DNA helicity. , 1968, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[14]  H. Matsumoto,et al.  Effect of aluminium on some properties and template activity of purified pea DNA , 1978 .