Sequence of psi, a gene on the symbiotic plasmid of Rhizobium phaseoli which inhibits exopolysaccharide synthesis and nodulation and demonstration that its transcription is inhibited by psr, another gene on the symbiotic plasmid.

A gene termed psi (polysaccharide inhibition), located close to the nodulation genes of the Rhizobium phaseoli symbiotic plasmid pRP2JI inhibited exopolysaccharide synthesis (EPS) and nodulation ability (Nod) in Rhizobium when it was cloned in a multicopy plasmid. The sequence of psi showed that it specified a polypeptide of mol. wt. 10,000 that may be associated with the membrane of Rhizobium. A second gene, psr (polysaccharide restoration), was located on pRP2JI. When cloned in multicopy plasmids, psr overcame the EPS and Nod defects in strains carrying multicopy psi. Strains with multicopy psr induced non-fixing nodules on Phaseolus beans. Using gene fusions between psi and lacZ, it was found that psr [corrected] inhibited transcription of psi [corrected].