Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Forced association between higher plant and bacterial cells in vitro

Abstract

SYMBIOTIC associations with microorganisms enable many plant species to utilise molecular nitrogen1–3. In vitro systems have been developed to study some of these natural associations4–7, and here we have attempted to define an experimental system for investigating the possibility of extending the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis to additional crop species. We used tissue culture techniques to force an association between the free-living nitrogen-fixing bacterium, Azotobacter vinelandii and cells of a carrot, Daucus carota cv. Danver's Half Long. The resulting composite callus proliferates slowly on a defined synthetic medium lacking combined nitrogen. In these conditions carrot cells which have not formed an association with Azotobacter are unable to survive.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Stewart, W. F. P., Nitrogen Fixation in Plants (Athlone Press, London, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bond, G., in Recent Aspects of Nitrogen Metabolism in Plants, (edit. by Hewitt, E. J., and Cutting, C. V.), 15–25, (Academic Press, New York, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Phillips, D. A., Torrey, J. C., and Burris, R. H., Science, 174, 169–174 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hardy, R. W. F., Holsten, R. D., Jackson, E. K., and Burns, R. C., Pl. Physiol., Lancaster, 43, 1185–1207 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Holsten, R. D., Burns, R. C., Hardy, R. W. F., and Hebert, R. R., Nature, 232, 173–176 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Child, J. J., and La Rue, T. A., Pl. Physiol., Lancaster, 53, 88–90 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Phillips, D. A., Pl. Physiol., Lancaster, 53, 67–72 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Linsmaier, E. M., and Skoog, F., Physiol. Plant, 18, 100–127 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Vela, G. R., Cagle, G. D., and Holmgren, P. R., J. Bact., 104, 933–939 (1970).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Oppenheim, J., and Marcus, L., J. Bact., 101, 286–291 (1970).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Burris, R. H., in Methods in Enzymology, (edit by San Pietro, A.), 24, 415–431 (Academic Press, New York, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

CARLSON, P., CHALEFF, R. Forced association between higher plant and bacterial cells in vitro. Nature 252, 393–395 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/252393a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/252393a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing