Genome of Herbaspirillum seropedicae Strain SmR1, a Specialized Diazotrophic Endophyte of Tropical Grasses

The molecular mechanisms of plant recognition, colonization, and nutrient exchange between diazotrophic endophytes and plants are scarcely known. Herbaspirillum seropedicae is an endophytic bacterium capable of colonizing intercellular spaces of grasses such as rice and sugar cane. The genome of H. seropedicae strain SmR1 was sequenced and annotated by The Paraná State Genome Programme—GENOPAR. The genome is composed of a circular chromosome of 5,513,887 bp and contains a total of 4,804 genes. The genome sequence revealed that H. seropedicae is a highly versatile microorganism with capacity to metabolize a wide range of carbon and nitrogen sources and with possession of four distinct terminal oxidases. The genome contains a multitude of protein secretion systems, including type I, type II, type III, type V, and type VI secretion systems, and type IV pili, suggesting a high potential to interact with host plants. H. seropedicae is able to synthesize indole acetic acid as reflected by the four IAA biosynthetic pathways present. A gene coding for ACC deaminase, which may be involved in modulating the associated plant ethylene-signaling pathway, is also present. Genes for hemagglutinins/hemolysins/adhesins were found and may play a role in plant cell surface adhesion. These features may endow H. seropedicae with the ability to establish an endophytic life-style in a large number of plant species

Tax perceived as barrier to innovation

In spurring high level of economic development, tax as one of the fiscal policy instruments is vital in generating more revenues for the government. However, higher tax revenues mean the people and companies have to pay more out of their income thus create austerity in productivity. The present study examines the correlation between tax and newly invented products or services among firms in Malaysia. The study employs binomial logit model by using the World Bank data of 919 firms in 2015. The result shows that the correlation estimate between tax and innovation is weak, but the controlling variables such as residency, firm size and region strengthened the coefficients between the variables. There is a high concentration of residence firms not to invent new product or service when they perceived the tax as obstacle to their current operations. This study also finds a significant role of firm size on this phenomenon whereby small firms are hardly involve in innovation activities as compared to medium firms. The study thereby offers a new insight for policy formulation to consider the innovation activities in future planning