Effect of rifampin resistance on nodulating competitiveness of Rhizobium meliloti

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Abstract
An assessment was made of the effect of high concentration rifampin resistance on the nodulating competitiveness of five strains of Rhizobium meliloti. The results indicate that the acquisition of rifampin resistance by R. meliloti is generally associated with a significant loss of nodulating competitiveness and an altered RNA polymerase insensitive to the action of rifampin. All mutants were similar to their parent strains with respect to growth rates, phage sensitivity patterns, and symbiotic effectiveness. The data suggest that rifampin resistance in R. meliloti is unsuitable as a marker for ecological studies.