Biological Activities and Structures of Bradyrhizobium elkanii Low Abundance Lipo Chitin-Oligosaccharides. Thomas J. W. Slokkermans. Ohio State Biotechnology Center, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1002, U.S.A. Ron Orlando (3), V. S. Kumar Kolli (3), Russell W. Carlson (3), and N. Kent Peters (1,2). (1) Ohio State Biotechnology Center, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210-1002, U.S.A. (2)Department for Plant Physiology and Microbiology, University of Troms0, N-9037 Tromso, Norway; (3) Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens 30602-4712, U.S.A. MPMI 9:298-304. Accepted 13 February 1996. Copyright 1996 The American Phytopathological Society.

We report the structures and biological activity of low abundance lipo chitin-oligosaccharides (LCOs) or Nod factors isolated from Bradyrhizobium elkanii USDA 61. These new LCOs have structures similar to those previously isolated from B. elkanii, but with unique combinations of substituents. Each LCO-containing peak has nodule initiation activity on Glycine soja and Vigna umbel-lata. As a result of this further analysis, it is likely that all major and most minor biologically active LCOs from Bradyrhizobium elkanii have been characterized.