Diversity among Opine-Utilizing Bacteria: Identification of Coryneform Isolates

Abstract

Bacteria were isolated from soil and crown gall tumors by selection in minimal medium with an opine, such as succinamopine or mannopine, as the sole carbon source. The isolates were characterized for the pattern of opine utilization and identified. They were classified as mannityl opine or imino diacid utilizers and exhibited specificity of utilization similar to that described previously for Agrobacterium species. A minority of isolates were gram negative and were identified as Agrobacterium or Pseudomonas species; most were gram positive and belonged to the coryneform group. These results indicate that any specific effect of opines on the ecology of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is modulated by activities of other types of soil- and plant-associated bacteria.