Gene expression of soybean roots inoculated with wild-type and type III secretion mutant strains of Bradyrhizobium elkanii

To dissect differences in gene expression profile of soybean roots inoculated with wild-type and type III secretion mutant rhizobia, we have employed microarray analysis. Seeds of soybean (Glycine max L. cv. BARC-2 (Rj4/Rj4)) were surface-sterilized and germinated at 25 °C for 2 days and were transferred to the seed pack (Seed Pack; Daiki rika Kogyo Co., Ltd., Shiga, Japan) watered with B&D nitrogen-free medium (Broughton and Dilworth 1971). One day after transplant, each seedling was inoculated with Bradyrhizobium elkanii USDA61 or its type III secretion mutant BErhcJ. Plants were cultivated in a growth chamber at 25°C and 70% humidity with a daytime of 16 h followed by a nighttime of 8 h. To determine the gene expression, RNA was extracted from the roots 2 and 4 days after inoculation. Gene expression in soybean roots inoculated with Bradyrhizobium elkanii USDA61, its type III secretion mutant BErhcJ was measured 2 and 4 days after inoculation. Three independent experiments were performed at each inoculation.