Identification of NovelSinorhizobium melilotiMutants Compromised for Oxidative Stress Protection and Symbiosis

Employing a novel two-part screen, we identified Sinorhizobium meliloti mutants that were both sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and symbiotically defective on the host plant Medicago sativa. The mutations affect a wide variety of cellular processes and represent both novel and previously identified genes important in symbiosis.