Multiple groESL operons are not key targets of RpoH1 and RpoH2 in Sinorhizobium meliloti

Among the rhizobia that establish nitrogen-fixing nodules on the roots of host plants, many contain multiple copies of genes encoding the sigma factor RpoH and the chaperone GroEL/GroES. In Sinorhizobium meliloti there are two rpoH genes, four groESL operons, and one groEL gene. rpoH1 mutants are defective for growth at high temperature and form ineffective nodules, rpoH1 rpoH2 double mutants are unable to form nodules, and groESL1 mutants form ineffective nodules. To explore the roles of RpoH1 and RpoH2, we identified mutants that suppress both the growth and nodulation defects. These mutants do not suppress the nitrogen fixation defect. This implies that the functions of RpoH1 during growth and RpoH1/RpoH2 during the initiation of symbiosis are similar but that there is a different function of RpoH1 needed later during symbiosis. We showed that, unlike in Escherichia coli, overexpression of groESL is not sufficient to bypass any of the RpoH defects. Under free-living conditions, we determined that RpoH2 does not control expression of the groE genes, and RpoH1 only controls expression of groESL5. Finally, we completed the series of groE mutants by constructing groESL3 and groEL4 mutants and demonstrated that they do not display symbiotic defects. Therefore, the only groESL operon required by itself for symbiosis is groESL1. Taken together, these results suggest that GroEL/GroES production alone cannot explain the requirements for RpoH1 and RpoH2 in S. meliloti and that there must be other crucial targets.