Evidence for a third uptake hydrogenase phenotype among the soybean bradyrhizobia

The existence of a hydrogen uptake host-regulated (Hup-hr) phenotype was established among the soybean bradyrhizobia. The Hup-hr phenotype is characterized by the expression of uptake hydrogenase activity in symbiosis with cowpea but not soybean. Uptake hydrogenase induction is not possible under free-living cultural conditions by using techniques developed for uptake hydrogenase-positive (Hup+) Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Hydrogen oxidation by Hup-hr phenotype USDA 61 in cowpea symbioses was significant because hydrogen evolution from nitrogen-fixing nodules was not detected. An examination for uptake hydrogenase activity in soybean and cowpea with 123 strains diverse in origin and serology identified 16 Hup+ and 28 Hup-hr phenotype strains; the remainder appeared to be Hup-. The Hup-hr phenotype was associated with serogroups 31, 76, and 94, while strains belonging to serogroups 6, 31, 110, 122, 123, and 38/115 were Hup+. Hup+ strains of the 123 serogroup typed positive with USDA 129-specific antiserum. The presence of the uptake hydrogenase protein in cowpea bacteroids of Hup+ strains was demonstrated with immunoblot analyses by using antibodies against the 65-kDa subunit of uptake hydrogenase purified from strain SR470. However, the hydrogenase protein of Hup-hr strains was not detected. Results of Southern hybridization analyses with pHU1 showed the region of DNA with hydrogenase genes among Hup+ strains to be similar. Hybridization was also obtained with Hup-hr strains by using a variety of cloned DNA as probes including hydrogenase structural genes. Both hydrogenase structural genes also hybridized with the DNA of four Hup- strains.