Abstract
In order to carry out reverse-genetic analyses and genome-wide phenotypic screenings, we have constructed a large mutant library of the nitrogen-fixing symbiotic bacterium, Mesorhizobium loti, by transposon mutagenesis. Transposon insertion mutants were generated using the signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) technique and a total of 29,930 independent mutants were obtained. Along with the collection of transposon mutants, we have analyzed the transposon insertion sites for 9344 clones, and found that transposon insertions were randomly distributed throughout the M. loti genome. With the accumulated insertion sites data, we confirmed insertions in 3680 non-redundant M. loti genes (51% of the total number of M. loti genes).
With the aim to utilize this mutant library as a communal resource, we prepared a web database providing general information on individual mutant, and deposited the library to the resource center at Miyazaki University. This STM library will serve as an invaluable resource for research community.
