Root Nodule Microsymbionts of Native Coriaria myrtifolia in Algeria

Abstract

Coriaria myrtifolia occurs as natural flora of warm temperate climates of northern Algeria which commonly found in hedges, forest and ravine edges. This actinorhizal species was known to establish a mutualistic symbiosis with members of phylogenetic cluster 2 (including strains associated to Coriaria spp., Ceanothus, Datiscaceae, and Dryadoideae) within the genus Frankia. Attempts to isolate C. myrtifolia microsymbionts from native plants growing in 4 locations in Algeria permitted to only recover asymbiotic Frankia strains (unable to reestablish nodulation and to fix nitrogen) from phylogenetic cluster 4 and several non- Frankia actinobacteria including members of Micrococcus, Micromonospora, Nocardia, Plantactinospora, and Streptomyces genera. The biodiversity of Frankia microsymbionts of C. myrtifolia root nodules was assessed using PCR-amplification followed by partial nucleotide sequencing of glnA1 (glutamine synthetase type 1) gene. On the 12 different glnA1 gene sequences obtained in this study, 9 were detected for the first time, and were mainly closelyrelated to Mediterranean genotypes previously described in the Grand Maghreb countries (Morocco and Tunisia) and in Europe (France) but without clear separations from other cluster 2 genotypes.