Study of the impact of anthropogenic stress on frankia sp., alders, and their symbiosis

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Filamentous actinobacteria of the genus Frankia are ubiquitous and participate significantly in global nitrogen fixation. With their host plants (actinorhizal plants, amongst which alders), they establish a root nodule symbiosis analogous to that of legumes with rhizobia. In North America, alders are of particular interest for their distribution, robustness and adaptation to a wide range of harsh environmental conditions. Although actinorhizal alders are routinely used for the revegetation of derelict lands (e.g. metalliferous mine wastes), little research has focussed on how anthropogenic contaminants (heavy metals, naphtenic acids, and chloroaromatic hydrocarbons) affect the actinorhizal symbiosis. These questions are even more important considering that frankiae, in their saprophytic life cycle, are directly exposed to these soil contaminants.