B. japonicum is added to legume seed to improve crop yields,[3] particularly in areas where the bacterium is not native (e.g. Arkansas soils).[4] Often the inoculateisadhered to the seeds prior to planting using a sugar solution.[5]
B. japonicum possess the nosRZDFYLX gene, which aides in denitrification and has two catalytic subunits - Cu-a and Cu-z (with several histidine residues). It manages an expression cascade that can sense oxygen gradients, termed 'FixJ-FixK2-FixK1.' FixJ positively regulates FixK2, which activates nitrogen respiration genes, as well as FixK1. FixK1 mutants are unable to respire from nitrogen due to a defective catatylic copper subunit (Cu-z) in nosRZDFYLX.[7]
Natural genetic transformation in bacteria is a sexual process involving transfer of DNA from one cell to another through the intervening medium, and the integration of the donor sequence into the recipient genome by homologous recombination. B. japonicum cells are able to undergo transformation.[8] They become competent for DNA uptake during late log phase.
^Purcell, Larry C.; Salmeron, Montserrat; Ashlock, Lanny (2013). "Chapter 5". Arkansas Soybean Production Handbook - MP197. Little Rock, AR: University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. p. 5. Archived from the original(PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
^Purcell, Larry C.; Salmeron, Montserrat; Ashlock, Lanny (2000). "Chapter 7". Arkansas Soybean Production Handbook - MP197. Little Rock, AR: University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. pp. 2–3. Archived from the original(PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
^Bennett, J. Michael; Rhetoric, Emeritus; Hicks, Dale R.; Naeve, Seth L.; Bennett, Nancy Bush (2014). The Minnesota Soybean Field Book(PDF). St Paul, MN: University of Minnesota Extension. p. 79. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2013-09-30. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
