Abstract
Plant-derived carbon is the substrate which drives the rate of microbial assimilation and turnover of nutrients, in particular N and P, within the rhizosphere. To develop a better understanding of rhizosphere dynamics, a tripartite reporter gene system has been developed. We used three lux-marked Pseudomonas fluorescens strains to report on soil (1) assimilable carbon, (2) N-status, and (3) P-status. In vivo studies using soil water, spiked with C, N and P to simulate rhizosphere conditions, showed that the tripartite reporter system can provide real-time assessment of carbon and nutrient status. Good quantitative agreement for bioluminescence output between reference material and soil water samples was found for the C and P reporters. With regard to soil nitrate, the minimum bioavailable concentration was found to be greater than that analytically detectable in soil water. This is the first time that bioavailable soil C, N and P have been quantified using a tripartite reporter gene system.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 35-9 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | FEMS Microbiology Letters |
Volume | 220 |
Issue number | 1 |
Publication status | Published - 14 Mar 2003 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
- Microbiology