Preface	6
	Contents	8
	Part I Rhizobia-Legume Symbioses	10
	The Diversity and Evolution of Rhizobia	11
	1 Introduction	12
	2 The Structure of the Rhizobial Genome	19
	3 Species Concept Applicable to Rhizobia	19
	4 Rhizobia-legume Symbiosis	21
	5 Diversity and Taxonomy of Rhizobia	26
	6 Phylogenetic and Biogeographic Inferences Based on the Analysis of Rhizobial Core and Accessory Genes	33
	7 Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Legumes	35
	8 Evolution of Interaction Between Rhizobia and Their Legume Hosts	36
	9 Conclusions	40
	References	40
	Erratum to The Diversity and Evolution of Rhizobia	50
	Making Rhizobium-Infected Root Nodules	52
	1 Introduction	52
	2 The Species Involved	53
	3 Making Nodules	55
	4 Infection	57
	5 Perspectives	69
	References	70
	Functional Genomics of Rhizobia	77
	1 Introduction	77
	2 Rhizobial Genomes	78
	3 Transcriptome Studies	83
	4 Proteome Studies	91
	5 Metabolome Studies	95
	6 Other High Throughput Approaches	96
	7 Concluding Remarks and Future Perspectives	97
	References	99
	Part II Actinorhizal Symbioses	107
	Evolution and Diversity of Frankia	108
	1 Introduction	108
	2 Taxonomy	109
	3 Phylogeny	116
	4 Evolution and Relation with Plants	118
	5 Diversity (Link with Soil Factors, Geography of Host Plant)	122
	6 Conclusion and Perspectives	124
	References	125
	Induction of Actinorhizal Nodules by Frankia	131
	1 Introduction	131
	2 How Frankia Enters the Plant	134
	3 Nodule Structure	140
	4 Symbiotic Signaling	143
	5 Autoregulation of Nodule Number	146
	6 Concluding Remarks and Future Perspectives	149
	References	150
	Physiology of Actinorhizal Nodules	159
	1 Introduction	160
	2 The Actinorhizal Nodule	162
	3 Primary Metabolism in Non-Symbiotic Frankia	166
	4 Nodule Primary Metabolism	167
	5 Hydrogen Metabolism	174
	6 The Oxygen Dilemma of N2 Fixation – How Actinorhizal Plants Deal with It	174
	7 Future Prospects	175
	References	176
	Part III Cyanobacterial Symbioses	183
	Physiological Adaptations in Nitrogen-fixing Nostoc–Plant Symbiotic Associations	184
	1 Introduction	185
	2 Specificity of the Associations	187
	3 Physiological Adaptation in the Associations	189
	4 Conclusions and Future Perspectives	201
	References	203
	Why Does Gunnera Do It and Other Angiosperms Don’t? An Evolutionary Perspective on the Gunnera–Nostoc Symbiosis	209
	1 Introduction	210
	2 The Symbiotic Background	210
	3 The Symbiotic Basics	212
	4 A More Significant Past?	213
	5 Evolutionary Drivers	214
	6 Host Factors	217
	7 Cyanobiont Factors	220
	8 Conclusions	221
	References	223
	Cyanobacteria in Symbiosis with Cycads	227
	1 Introduction	228
	2 Coralloid Roots	229
	3 Establishment of the Symbiosis	229
	4 Specificity and Diversity of the Symbiotic Cyanobacteria	231
	5 Characteristics of the Symbiotic Cyanobacteria	232
	References	234
	Structural Characteristics of the Cyanobacterium–Azolla Symbioses	236
	1 Introduction	237
	2 Structural Characteristics of the Cyanobacterial–Azolla Symbiosis	238
	3 Conclusions and Outlook	260
	References	261
	Relations Between Cyanobacterial Symbionts in Lichens and Plants	265
	1 Introduction	265
	3 Concluding Remarks	268
	References	269
	Part IV Diazotrophic Endophytes	271
	Diazotrophic Bacterial Endophytes in Gramineae and Other Plants	272
	1 Endophytic Bacteria – General Definitions and Methods of Isolation, Characterization and Localization	273
	2 Endophytic Bacteria as Biological Control and Plant Growth Promotion Agents	274
	3 Diazotrophic Bacterial Endophytes	275
	4 Conclusions and Outlook	290
	References	291
	Subject Index	302