What are six major areas into which genetic research has been focused to augment plant growth-promoting activity of bacterial strains?
What is the common name for the group of bacteria that fix nitrogen in the nodules of legumes? What is the commonly used assay for nitrogenase?
Diagram/explain a protocol for isolating nif genes from an appropriate bacterial species.
Why can altering glycogen synthase activity "improve" a bacterial strain used for the symbiotic fixation of nitrogen? Explain logic and provide/explain a protocol.
Why can altering intracellular oxygen levels "improve" a bacterial strain used for the symbiotic fixation of nitrogen? Explain logic and provide/explain a protocol.
What is hydrogenase? How can this enzyme be used as part of a strategy to "improve" a Rhizobial strain used to inoculate legumes? Explain logic and provide an appropriate diagram.
Why might you want to alter ACC deaminase levels in bacteria symbiotically associated with plant root hairs? Diagram/explain the logic of why this might "improve" the bacterial strain.
How can the plant stress response be altered in a fashion to "improve" the plant? Give a specific example and explain the logic.
What is meant by phytoremediation? Explain an example of its possible use? What types of molecules must be produced to accomplish this?
Describe an application for over expression of siderophores as a mechanism of biocontrol of pathogens. Explain the logic.
How can bacterial strains producing antibiotics be used for biocontrol. Explain the logic of a specific example.
How can altering ice nucleation protein production yield a bacterial strain useful to agriculture? Explain the logic and how this works.