SUMMARY: Culture filtrate of Rhizobium trifolii and root media of Trifolium repens inoculated with this bacterium contain at least two factors able to cause deformation of root hairs of T. repens. One has properties of a nucleic acid, the other of either protein or polysaccharide. The deforming substances in culture filtrate are heat-labile whereas those in inoculated root medium are stable.
A heat-stable, root hair-deforming component is formed when culture filtrate is mixed with non-inoculated root medium. The deforming substances in the culture filtrate can be adsorbed to clover roots, and eluted with dilute acetic acid or urea. The role of the substances in the binding of rhizobia to clover roots and in the infection process is discussed.
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