Engineered Rhizobia with Trehalose-Producing Genes Enhance Peanut Growth Under Salinity Stress

The aggravation of soil salinization has become one of the major factors that threaten crop growth and yield. Rhizobia, as an important biological nitrogen-fixing microorganism, can establish symbiotic relationships with legumes to improve their nitrogen-fixing ability and stress tolerance. Trehalos...

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Main Authors: Jialin Liu, Dong Wang, Ruiqi Tong, Shengyue Ye, Yanhao Zhao, Jiangwen Wu, Yi Gan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/4/974
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author Jialin Liu
Dong Wang
Ruiqi Tong
Shengyue Ye
Yanhao Zhao
Jiangwen Wu
Yi Gan
author_facet Jialin Liu
Dong Wang
Ruiqi Tong
Shengyue Ye
Yanhao Zhao
Jiangwen Wu
Yi Gan
author_sort Jialin Liu
collection DOAJ
description The aggravation of soil salinization has become one of the major factors that threaten crop growth and yield. Rhizobia, as an important biological nitrogen-fixing microorganism, can establish symbiotic relationships with legumes to improve their nitrogen-fixing ability and stress tolerance. Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide that is widely found in bacteria, fungi, and plants, can protect cellular structures and maintain the viability of cells under stress conditions. However, it remains to be determined whether the endogenous trehalose level in rhizobia could affect its stress tolerance and nitrogen-fixing capabilities. In this study, we constructed four engineered rhizobial strains to examine the effects of the overexpression and knockout of the trehalose synthesis genes <i>otsA</i>/<i>otsB</i> in the rhizobium strain <i>CCBAU25338</i> on its salt tolerance and nitrogen-fixing capacity. The results indicated that the overexpression of <i>otsA</i>, rather than the <i>otsB</i> gene, significantly enhanced both the stress tolerance and nitrogen-fixing abilities of the strains. Furthermore, the inoculation of <i>otsA</i>-overexpressing recombinant cells leads to greater agronomic traits in the host plant’s peanuts under salinity conditions. We hope our findings may serve as valuable references for the future development of efficient and superior engineered rhizobial strains for peanut cultivation.
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spelling doaj-art-9f0fbdf8cb0c4bb892515ec58ba1fe782025-08-20T03:14:23ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-04-0115497410.3390/agronomy15040974Engineered Rhizobia with Trehalose-Producing Genes Enhance Peanut Growth Under Salinity StressJialin Liu0Dong Wang1Ruiqi Tong2Shengyue Ye3Yanhao Zhao4Jiangwen Wu5Yi Gan6College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaCollege of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaCollege of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaTonglu County Agricultural Industrialization Development Service Center, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaTonglu County Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Hangzhou 311500, ChinaShitang Town People’s Government of Yunhe County, Lishui 323604, ChinaCollege of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaThe aggravation of soil salinization has become one of the major factors that threaten crop growth and yield. Rhizobia, as an important biological nitrogen-fixing microorganism, can establish symbiotic relationships with legumes to improve their nitrogen-fixing ability and stress tolerance. Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide that is widely found in bacteria, fungi, and plants, can protect cellular structures and maintain the viability of cells under stress conditions. However, it remains to be determined whether the endogenous trehalose level in rhizobia could affect its stress tolerance and nitrogen-fixing capabilities. In this study, we constructed four engineered rhizobial strains to examine the effects of the overexpression and knockout of the trehalose synthesis genes <i>otsA</i>/<i>otsB</i> in the rhizobium strain <i>CCBAU25338</i> on its salt tolerance and nitrogen-fixing capacity. The results indicated that the overexpression of <i>otsA</i>, rather than the <i>otsB</i> gene, significantly enhanced both the stress tolerance and nitrogen-fixing abilities of the strains. Furthermore, the inoculation of <i>otsA</i>-overexpressing recombinant cells leads to greater agronomic traits in the host plant’s peanuts under salinity conditions. We hope our findings may serve as valuable references for the future development of efficient and superior engineered rhizobial strains for peanut cultivation.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/4/974trehaloserhizobiumpeanuts<i>otsA</i><i>otsB</i>salt stress
spellingShingle Jialin Liu
Dong Wang
Ruiqi Tong
Shengyue Ye
Yanhao Zhao
Jiangwen Wu
Yi Gan
Engineered Rhizobia with Trehalose-Producing Genes Enhance Peanut Growth Under Salinity Stress
Agronomy
trehalose
rhizobium
peanuts
<i>otsA</i>
<i>otsB</i>
salt stress
title Engineered Rhizobia with Trehalose-Producing Genes Enhance Peanut Growth Under Salinity Stress
title_full Engineered Rhizobia with Trehalose-Producing Genes Enhance Peanut Growth Under Salinity Stress
title_fullStr Engineered Rhizobia with Trehalose-Producing Genes Enhance Peanut Growth Under Salinity Stress
title_full_unstemmed Engineered Rhizobia with Trehalose-Producing Genes Enhance Peanut Growth Under Salinity Stress
title_short Engineered Rhizobia with Trehalose-Producing Genes Enhance Peanut Growth Under Salinity Stress
title_sort engineered rhizobia with trehalose producing genes enhance peanut growth under salinity stress
topic trehalose
rhizobium
peanuts
<i>otsA</i>
<i>otsB</i>
salt stress
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/4/974
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AT ruiqitong engineeredrhizobiawithtrehaloseproducinggenesenhancepeanutgrowthundersalinitystress
AT shengyueye engineeredrhizobiawithtrehaloseproducinggenesenhancepeanutgrowthundersalinitystress
AT yanhaozhao engineeredrhizobiawithtrehaloseproducinggenesenhancepeanutgrowthundersalinitystress
AT jiangwenwu engineeredrhizobiawithtrehaloseproducinggenesenhancepeanutgrowthundersalinitystress
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