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Rhizobium phaseoli CFN42 DNA was mutated by random insertion of TnS from suicide plasmid pJB4JI to obtain independently arising strains that were defective in symbiosis with Phaseolus vulgaris but grew normally outside the plant. When these mutants were incubated with the plant, one did not initiate visible nodule tissue (Nod-), seven led to slow nodule development (Ndv), and two led to superficially * Corresponding author.

We studied the in vitro ability of lectin-treated murine peritoneal macrophages to attach and phagocytize particulate antigens. Glucose and mannose specific lectins such as Con-A and lentil lectin, as well as complex lactosamine residues specific lectins, such as Phaseolus vulgaris var. cacahuate and Phaseolus coccineus var. alubia, increased the macrophage phagocytic activity towards heterologous erythrocytes, whereas peanut agglutinin, a galactose-specific lectin, diminished the macrophage phagocytic activity. These results suggest that a galactose-N-acetyl-D galactosamine-containing structure could participate as negative modulator of the phagocytic activity.

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Calli derived from leaves and radicles of B. ternifolia were grown on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium, and the effects of different nitrogen sources on the rate of callus growth and on the enzymes related to nitrogen assimilation were studied. Ammonium alone did not support callus growth unless a Krebs-cycle intermediate was added to the medium. The activities of glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2), glutamate synthase (EC 1.4.7.1), and glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.2) were measured in homogenates of callus grown on media supplied with different nitrogen sources. The results indicate that leaf and root calli have similar levels of these enzymes when grown on MS medium (Murashige and Skoog 1962. Physiol. Plant. 15, 473-497). However, when the calli were supplied with glutamine as the sole nitrogen source, the activity of glutamate synthase increased in leaf callus but was almost completely inhibited in root callus. The results indicate that calli originated from different B. ternifolia tissues do not have the same biochemical dedifferentiated state.