Our major effort in this reporting period comprised functional genomic studies of key genes for carbon metabolite and nodulation/nitrogen fixation in Sinorhizobium meliloti, comparisons of Rhizobia with other -proteobacteria, and participation in the genome sequencing of Aedes aegypti (Nene et al, 2007). We have also performed genome-wide analyses of the ExoS/ChvI two-component regulatory system in S. meliloti, investigated the influence of polyhydroxybutyrate granule-associated proteins on polyhydroxybutyrate accumulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in S. meliloti Rm1021, and carried out comparative modeling of the cell cycle (from Caulobacter crescentus to S. meliloti). In addition, we have further developed the Rhizobiales Bioinformatics Resource Center and the NodMutDB Nodulation Mutant Database, identified novel small noncoding RNAs in S. meliloti, probed the regulation of transcription during infection and nodulation, and identified enzymes using Open Reading Frame screening....
Matthew D. Dyer, T. M. Murali, Bruno W. S. Sobral