Rhizobium sp. BR816 Produces a Complex Mixture of Known and Novel Lipochitooligosaccharide Molecules

Rhizobial lipochitooligosaccharide (LCO) signal molecules induce various plant responses, leading to nodule development. We report here the LCO structures of the broad-host range strain Rhizobium sp. BR816. The LCOs produced are all pentamers, carrying common C18:1 or C18:0 fatty acyl chains, N-methylated and C-6 carbamoylated on the nonreducing terminal N-acetylglucosamine and sulfated on the reducing/terminal residue. A second acetyl group can be present on the penultimate N-acetylglu-cosamine from the nonreducing terminus. Two novel characteristics were observed: the reducing/terminal residue can be a glucosaminitol (open structure) and the degree of acetylation of this glucosaminitol or of the reducing residue can vary.