Euan James
I completed my PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of Dundee in 1990, and then over the next 10 years worked as a World Bank-consultant in Brazil and the Philippines where I specialised in the localisation of N-fixing bacteria in sugarcane and rice using electron microscopy.
During my time working in Brazil I also gained a strong interest in the legume-rhizobial symbioses, particularly their role in tropical ecosystems and in agriculture, and co-wrote a NERC-funded project at the University of St Andrews on the functioning of legume symbioses in the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands.
After St. Andrews, my position prior to joining the James Hutton Institute was as an electron microscopist at the University of Dundee College of Life Sciences, where I also acted as Principal Investigator on a NERC-funded project “In search of beta-rhizobia: exploring the symbionts of Mimosa in Brazil.”
Current research interests
I am a plant and microbial scientist specialising in root-nodulating symbiotic interactions between (mainly) legumes and soil bacteria called rhizobia that “fix” atmospheric Nitrogen (N) gas into forms that the plant can use for its growth. These symbioses, in which the legume houses the rhizobia in structures on their roots called nodules, provide the host plant with all its N requirements, and thus allow these plants to colonize soils that are depleted in this most essential of plant nutrients. In addition to their ecological importance, many legumes, such as pea, beans, soybeans, clover etc., are of enormous agricultural significance, with their high-protein seeds being used for both human and animal consumption. Their ability to fix their own N means that no addition of N-containing fertiliser is required for their cultivation. This is an essential attribute for sustainable agriculture, not just economically, but also in terms of mitigation against pollution resulting from the massive overuse of agricultural fertilizer over the last 50 years. This overuse has resulted in the current “Nitrogen Crisis” in which waterways, groundwater, and even coastal ecosystems are polluted by harmful nitrates, and is also partly responsible for the enormous greenhouse gas (especially nitrous oxides) emissions that are produced by agriculture in the Global North. This can only be tackled by reducing our over-reliance on fertilisers; the efficient exploitation of N-fixing legumes is key to this endeavour, and my research is largely focused on this.
My expertise includes:
Nitrogen fixation by legume crops (pulses and forages): Currently measuring biological .jpg "Soybean field, Balruddery Farm, Dundee")
nitrogen fixation (BNF) by various legumes, such as field beans Vicia faba in an experimental rotation at the Centre for Sustainable Cropping(CSC) (Maluk et al. 2022), and soybean (Maluk et al. 2023). This work was/is funded by RESAS, and by various EU FP7 and Horizon2020 projects, such as Legume Futures and TRUE (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/727973/news)
Nitrogen fixation by non-legumes:Currently undertaking RESAS-funded work to assess the N-fixing microbiome of the C4 “energy grass”, Miscanthus, cropped on marginal land in Scotland without any inputs. This work will be presented at the 17th Symposium on Biological Nitrogen Fixation by Non-legumes in Naples, Italy, which I am co-organising (https://www.enfc2023.org/index.php/non-legumes).
Diversity of nodulated legumes and their microbial symbionts in native ecosystems in the UK and in the tropics:
.jpg "Astragalus alpinus on Ben Vrackie SSSI")
Climate change also poses great threats to native Scottish legume biodiversity, which includes some of the rarest plants in the British Isles, the alpine milk vetches, Astragalus alpinus and Oxytropis species. Working with colleagues at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, we are helping to maintain Scotland’s natural capital by conducting research into the ecology of these N-fixing “Ice Age relic” plants which hang on precariously in their mountain habitats in the face of increasingly warmer winters.
Further afield, as part of the Gates-funded ENSA project, I am conducting fieldwork in the Brazilian Cerrado, Pantanal, and Amazon, and in the Ghanaian rainforest to investigate the evolution (and losses) of nodulation in tree legumes. This work has not only revealed to me the sheer diversity of legume symbioses, but also how fragile they and other components of these increasingly threatened ecosystems are. It’s only by cataloguing and describing this incredible diversity that we can convince the public and policy makers that it has intrinsic value, and that it must be preserved for future generations.
This research involves nodule sampling in the field, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), microbiome analysis, isolation of microsymbionts, sequencing of their genomes, and comparative genomics of both plant and bacterial partners in the symbiosis.
.jpg "Flooded Amazon forest")
.jpg "Sampling Erythrophleum africanum in Ghana")
Plant transmission electron microscopy (TEM):the ultrastructure of beneficial plant-bacterial interactions, including crop legumes like faba bean. I also specialise in immunolocalisation of both conventionally (chemically)- and cryo-fixed plant material.
Current funders include:
EU H2020 Programme: https://root2res.eu/
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: ENSA project https://www.ensa.ac.uk/
More information and contacts:
Professor Euan James, James Hutton Institute – Botanics Stories (rbge.org.uk)
Past research
Identified the nature of the O2 regulation mechanism in legume nodules using electron microscopy.
Identified the mechanisms that allow flooding-tolerant legumes to fix N whilst flooded in both tropical and temperate ecosystems.
Confirmed the endophytic nature of several species of N-fixing bacteria in sugarcane and rice using light and electron microscopy.
Showed that a completely “new” (actually ancient) type of symbiont existed in legume nodules in tropical ecosystems that was unrelated to Rhizobium. These symbionts are now termed “Beta-rhizobia”.
Bibliography
- Young, J.P.W.; Jorrin, B.; James, E.K.; Moeskjær, S. (2023) Rhizobium brockwellii sp. nov., Rhizobium johnstonii sp. nov. and Rhizobium beringeri sp. nov., three genospecies within the Rhizobium leguminosarum species complex, International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 73(3), Art. 005979
- Montiel, J.; García-Soto, I.; James, E.K.; Reid, D.; Cárdenas, L.; Napsucialy-Mendivil, S.; Ferguson, S.; Dubrovsky, J.G.; Stougaard, J. (2023) Aromatic amino acid biosynthesis impacts root hair development and symbiotic associations in Lotus japonicus, Plant Physiology, Art. Kiad398
- Maluk, M.; Giles, M.; Wardell, G.E.; Taqrir Akramin, A.; Ferrando-Molina, F.; Murdoch, A.; Barros, M.; Vasconçelos, M.; Harrison, E.; Daniell, T.J.; Quilliam, R.S.; James, E.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2023) Biological nitrogen fixation by soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), a novel, high protein crop in Scotland, requires inoculation with non-native bradyrhizobia, Frontiers in Agronomy, 5, Art. 1196873
- James, E.K. (2023) Intimacy stabilizes symbiotic nodulation, Nature Plants, 9, 1008-1009
- Bellès-Sancho, P.; Beukes, C.; James, E.; Pessi, G. (2023) Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiotic Paraburkholderia Species: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives, Nitrogen, 4, 135-158
- Zarrabian, M.; Montiel, J.; Sandal, N.; Ferguson, S.; Jin, H.; Lin, Y.; Klingl, V.; Marín, M.; James, E.K.; Parniske, M.; Stougaard, J.; Andersen, S.U. (2022) A Promiscuity Locus Confers Lotus burttii Nodulation with Rhizobia from Five Different Genera, MPMI, 35(11), 1006-1017
- Soares Neto, C.B.; Ribeiro, P.R.A.; Fernandes Júnior, P.I.; Miranda de Andrade, L.R.; Zilli, J.E.; Mendes, I.C.; do Vale, H.M.M.; James, E.K.; Reis Junior, F.B. (2022) Paraburkholderia atlantica is the main rhizobial symbiont of Mimosa spp. in ultramafic soils in the Brazilian Cerrado biome, Plant and Soil, 479, 465-479
- Mavima, L.; Beukes, C.W.; Palmer, M.; De Meyer, S.E.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Muasya, M.A.; Avontuur, J.R.; Chan, W.Y.; Venter, S.N.; Steenkamp, E.T. (2022) Delineation of Paraburkholderia tuberum sensu stricto and description of Paraburkholderia podalyriae sp. nov. nodulating the South African legume Podalyria calyptrata, Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 45, Art. 126136
- Hernández-Oaxaca, D.; Claro-Mendoza, K. L.; Rogel, M. A.; Rosenblueth, M.; Velasco-Trejo, J. A.; Alarcón-Gutiérrez, E.; García-Pérez, J. A.; Martínez-Romero, J.; James, E. K.; Martínez-Romero, E. (2022) Genomic Diversity of Bradyrhizobium from the Tree Legumes Inga and Lysiloma (Caesalpinioideae-Mimosoid Clade), Diversity, 14(7), Art. 518
- De Faria, S.M.; Ringelberg, J.J.; Gross, E.; Koenen, E.J.M.; Cardoso, D.; Ametsitsi, G.K.D.; Akomatey, J.; Maluk, M.; Tak, N.; Gehlot, H.S.; Wright, K.M.; Teaumroong, N.; Songwattana, P.; de Lima, H.C.; Prin, Y.; Zartman, C.E.; Sprent, J.I.; Ardley, J.; Hughes, C.E.; James, E.K. (2022) The innovation of the symbiosome has enhanced the evolutionary stability of nitrogen fixation in legumes , New Phytologist, 235, 2365-2377
- Chouhan, B.; Tak, N.; Bissa, G.; Adhikari, D.; Barik, S.K.; Sprent, J.I.; James, E.K.; Jha, S.; Gehlot. H.S. (2022) Evolution of novel strains of Ensifer nodulating the invasive legume Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit in different climatic regions of India through lateral gene transfer, FEMS Mcrobiology Ecology, 98(9), 1-19
- Khairnar, M.; Hagir, A.; Parmar, K.; Sayyed, R.Z.; James, E.K.; Rahi, P. (2022) Phylogenetic diversity and plant growth-promoting activities of rhizobia nodulating fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn.) cultivated in different agroclimatic regions of India, FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 98(2), Art. Fiac014
- Maluk, M.; Ferrando-Molina, F.; Lopez del Egido, L.; Langarica-Fuentes, A.; Genet Gebre Yohannes, G.; Young, M.; Martin, P.; Hawes, C.; Gantlett, R.; Kenicer, G.; Begg, G.S.; Quilliam, R.; Squire, G.R.; Young, J.P.W.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K. (2022) Fields with no recent legume cultivation have sufficient nitrogen-fixing rhizobia for crops of faba bean (Vicia faba L.), Plant and Soil, 472, 345-368
- Zilli, J.E.; de Moraes Carvalho, C.P.; de Matos Macedo, A.V.; de Barros Soares, L.H.; Gross, E.; James, E.K.; Simon, M.F.; de Faria, S.M. (2021) Nodulation of the neotropical legume genus Calliandra by Alpha or Betaproteobacterial symbionts is dependent on the biogeographical origins of the host species., Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, 52(4), 2153-2168
- Zhang, J.; Peng, S.; Li, S.; Song, J.; Brunel, B.; Wang, E.; James, E. K.; Chen, W.; Andrews, M. (2021) Arachis hypogaea L. from Acid Soils of Nanyang (China) Is Frequently Associated with Bradyrhizobium guangdongense and Occasionally with Bradyrhizobium ottawaense or Three Bradyrhizobium Genospecies, Microbial Ecology, 84(2), 556-564
- Westhoek, A.; Clark, L.J.; Culbert, M.; Dalchau, N.; Griffiths, M.; Jorrin, B.; Karunakaran, R.; Ledermann, R.; Tkacz, A.; Webb, I.; James, E.K.; Poole, P.S.; Turnbull, L.A. (2021) Conditional sanctioning in a legume-Rhizobium mutualism, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(19), Art. E2025760118
- Rhem, M.F.K.; Silva, V.C.; dos Santos, J.M.F.; Zilli, J.E.; James, E.K.; Simon, M.F.; Gross, E. (2021) The large mimosoid genus Inga Mill (tribe Ingeae, Caesalpinioideae) is nodulated by diverse Bradyrhizobium strains in its main centers of diversity in Brazil, Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 44(6), Art. 126268.
- Montiel, J.; Reid, D.; Grønbæk, T.H.; Benfeldt, C.M.; James, E.K.; Ott, T.; Ditengou, F.A.; Nadzieja, M.; Kelly, S.; Stougaard, J. (2021) Distinct signalling routes mediate intercellular and intracellular rhizobial infection in Lotus japonicus, Plant Physiology, 185(3), 1131-1147
- Jorrin, B.; Maluk, M.; Atoliya, N.; Kumar, S.C.; Chalasani, D.; Tkacz, A.; Singh, P.; Basu, A.; Pullabhotla, S.V.S.R.N.; Kumar, M.; Mohanty, S.R.; East, A.K.; Ramachandran, V.K.; James, E.K.; Appa Rao, P.; Saxena, A.K.; Rao, D.L.N.; Poole, P.S. (2021) Genomic diversity of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L Millsp) endosymbionts in India and selection of potential strains for use as agricultural inoculants., Frontiers in Plant Science, 7(12), Art. 680981
- Crang, N.; Borah, K.; James, E.K.; Jorrín, B.; Green, P.; Tkacz, A.; East, A.K.; Poole, P.S. (2021) Role and regulation of poly3hydroxybutyrate in nitrogen fixation in Azorhizobium caulinodans Molecular PlantMicrobe Interactions., Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 34(12), 1390-1398
- Lemcke, R.; Sjökvist, E.; Visentin, S.; Kamble, M.; James, E. K.; Hjørtshøj, R.; Wright, K. M.; Avrova, A.; Newton, A. C.; Havis, N. D.; Radutoiu, S.; Lyngkjær, M. F. (2021) Deciphering Molecular Host-Pathogen Interactions During Ramularia Collo-Cygni Infection on Barley, Front. Plant Sci., 12, Article No. 747661
- Young, J.P.W.; Moeskjær, S.; Afonin, A.; Rahi, P.; Maluk, M.; James, E.K.; Cavassim, M.I.A.; Rashid, M.; Aserse, A.A.; Perry, B.J.; Wang, E.T.; Velázquez, E.; Andronov, E.E.; Tampakaki, A.; Flores Félix, J.D.; Rivas González, R.; Youseif, S.H.; Lepetit, M.; Boivin, S.; Jorrin, B.; Kenicer, G.J.; Peix, A.; Hynes, M.F.; Ramírez-Bahena, M.H.; Gulati, A.; Tian, C-F. (2021) Defining the rhizobium leguminosarum species complex, Genes, 12(1), Article No. 111
- Raittz, R.T.; Reginatto De Pierri, C.; Maluk, M.; Bueno Batista, M.; Carmona, M.; Junghare, M.; Faoro, H.; Cruz, L.M.; Battistoni, F.; de Souza, E.; de Oliverira Pedrosa, F.; Chen, W.-M.; Poole, P.S.; Dixon, R.A.; James, E.K. (2021) Comparative genomics provides insights into the taxonomy of Azoarcus and reveals separate origins of Nif genes in the proposed Azoarcus and Aromatoleum genera, Genes, 12(1), Article No. 71
- Mavima, L.; Beukes, C.W.; Palmer, M.; De Meyer, S.E.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Gross, E.; Bueno dos Reis Junior, F.; Avontuur, J.R.; Chan, W.Y.; Venter, S.N.; Steenkamp, E.T. (2021) Paraburkholderia youngii sp. nov. and 'Paraburkholderia atlantica' - Brazilian and Mexican Mimosa-associated rhizobia that were previously known as Paraburkholderia tuberum sv. Mimosae., Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 44, Article No. 126152
- Unkovich, M.; Herridge, D.; James, E.K.; Giller, K.; Peoples, M.B. (2020) Reliable quantification of N-2 fixation by non-legumes remains problematic., Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 118, 223-225.
- Reis, V.M.; Alves, B.J.R.; Hartmann, A.; James, E.K.; Zilli, J.E. (2020) Beneficial microorganisms in agriculture: the future of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria., Plant and Soil, 451, 1-3.
- Choudhary, S.; Tak, N.; Bissa, G.; Chouhan, B.; Choudhary, P.; Sprent, J.I.; James, E.K.; Gehlot, H.S. (2020) The widely distributed legume tree Vachellia (Acacia) nilotica subsp. indica is nodulated by genetically diverse Ensifer strains in India., Symbiosis, 80, 15-31.
- Vasconcelos, M.W.; Grusak, M.A.; Pinto, E.; Gomes, A.; Ferreira, H.; Balázs, B.; Centofanti, T.; Ntatsi, G.; Savvas, D.; Karkanis, A.; Williams, M.; Vandenberg, A.; Toma, L.; Shrestha, S.; Akaichi, F.; Oré Barrios, C.; Gruber, S.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Karley, A.J.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2020) The Biology of Legumes and Their Agronomic, Economic, and Social Impact, In: Hasanuzzaman, M., Araújo, S., Gill, S. (eds.) The Plant Family Fabaceae: Biology and Physiological Responses to Environmental Stresses, Springer, 3-25
- Pastor-Bueis, R.; Sanchez-Canizares, C.; James, E.K.; Gonzalez-Andres, F. (2019) Formulation of a highly effective inoculant for common bean based on an autochthonous elite strain of rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli, and genomic-based insights into its agronomic performance., Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, Article No. 2724.
- Dello Jacovo, E.; Valentine, T.A.; Maluk, M.; Toorop, P.; Lopez del Egido, L.; Frachon, N.; Kenicer, G.; Park, L.; Goff, M.; Ferro, V.A.; Bonomi, C.; James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2019) Towards a characterisation of the wild legume bitter vetch (Lathyrus linifolius L. (Reichard) Bässler): heteromorphic seed germination, root nodule structure and N-fixing rhizobial symbionts., Plant Biology, 2, 523-532.
- Young, J.P.W.; Jorrin, B.; James, E.K.; Moeskjær, S. (2023) Rhizobium brockwellii sp. nov., Rhizobium johnstonii sp. nov. and Rhizobium beringeri sp. nov., three genospecies within the Rhizobium leguminosarum species complex, International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 73(3), Art. 005979
- Montiel, J.; García-Soto, I.; James, E.K.; Reid, D.; Cárdenas, L.; Napsucialy-Mendivil, S.; Ferguson, S.; Dubrovsky, J.G.; Stougaard, J. (2023) Aromatic amino acid biosynthesis impacts root hair development and symbiotic associations in Lotus japonicus, Plant Physiology, Art. Kiad398
- Maluk, M.; Giles, M.; Wardell, G.E.; Taqrir Akramin, A.; Ferrando-Molina, F.; Murdoch, A.; Barros, M.; Vasconçelos, M.; Harrison, E.; Daniell, T.J.; Quilliam, R.S.; James, E.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2023) Biological nitrogen fixation by soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), a novel, high protein crop in Scotland, requires inoculation with non-native bradyrhizobia, Frontiers in Agronomy, 5, Art. 1196873
- James, E.K. (2023) Intimacy stabilizes symbiotic nodulation, Nature Plants, 9, 1008-1009
- Bellès-Sancho, P.; Beukes, C.; James, E.; Pessi, G. (2023) Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiotic Paraburkholderia Species: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives, Nitrogen, 4, 135-158
- Zarrabian, M.; Montiel, J.; Sandal, N.; Ferguson, S.; Jin, H.; Lin, Y.; Klingl, V.; Marín, M.; James, E.K.; Parniske, M.; Stougaard, J.; Andersen, S.U. (2022) A Promiscuity Locus Confers Lotus burttii Nodulation with Rhizobia from Five Different Genera, MPMI, 35(11), 1006-1017
- Soares Neto, C.B.; Ribeiro, P.R.A.; Fernandes Júnior, P.I.; Miranda de Andrade, L.R.; Zilli, J.E.; Mendes, I.C.; do Vale, H.M.M.; James, E.K.; Reis Junior, F.B. (2022) Paraburkholderia atlantica is the main rhizobial symbiont of Mimosa spp. in ultramafic soils in the Brazilian Cerrado biome, Plant and Soil, 479, 465-479
- Mavima, L.; Beukes, C.W.; Palmer, M.; De Meyer, S.E.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Muasya, M.A.; Avontuur, J.R.; Chan, W.Y.; Venter, S.N.; Steenkamp, E.T. (2022) Delineation of Paraburkholderia tuberum sensu stricto and description of Paraburkholderia podalyriae sp. nov. nodulating the South African legume Podalyria calyptrata, Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 45, Art. 126136
- Hernández-Oaxaca, D.; Claro-Mendoza, K. L.; Rogel, M. A.; Rosenblueth, M.; Velasco-Trejo, J. A.; Alarcón-Gutiérrez, E.; García-Pérez, J. A.; Martínez-Romero, J.; James, E. K.; Martínez-Romero, E. (2022) Genomic Diversity of Bradyrhizobium from the Tree Legumes Inga and Lysiloma (Caesalpinioideae-Mimosoid Clade), Diversity, 14(7), Art. 518
- De Faria, S.M.; Ringelberg, J.J.; Gross, E.; Koenen, E.J.M.; Cardoso, D.; Ametsitsi, G.K.D.; Akomatey, J.; Maluk, M.; Tak, N.; Gehlot, H.S.; Wright, K.M.; Teaumroong, N.; Songwattana, P.; de Lima, H.C.; Prin, Y.; Zartman, C.E.; Sprent, J.I.; Ardley, J.; Hughes, C.E.; James, E.K. (2022) The innovation of the symbiosome has enhanced the evolutionary stability of nitrogen fixation in legumes , New Phytologist, 235, 2365-2377
- Chouhan, B.; Tak, N.; Bissa, G.; Adhikari, D.; Barik, S.K.; Sprent, J.I.; James, E.K.; Jha, S.; Gehlot. H.S. (2022) Evolution of novel strains of Ensifer nodulating the invasive legume Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit in different climatic regions of India through lateral gene transfer, FEMS Mcrobiology Ecology, 98(9), 1-19
- Khairnar, M.; Hagir, A.; Parmar, K.; Sayyed, R.Z.; James, E.K.; Rahi, P. (2022) Phylogenetic diversity and plant growth-promoting activities of rhizobia nodulating fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn.) cultivated in different agroclimatic regions of India, FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 98(2), Art. Fiac014
- Maluk, M.; Ferrando-Molina, F.; Lopez del Egido, L.; Langarica-Fuentes, A.; Genet Gebre Yohannes, G.; Young, M.; Martin, P.; Hawes, C.; Gantlett, R.; Kenicer, G.; Begg, G.S.; Quilliam, R.; Squire, G.R.; Young, J.P.W.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K. (2022) Fields with no recent legume cultivation have sufficient nitrogen-fixing rhizobia for crops of faba bean (Vicia faba L.), Plant and Soil, 472, 345-368
- Zilli, J.E.; de Moraes Carvalho, C.P.; de Matos Macedo, A.V.; de Barros Soares, L.H.; Gross, E.; James, E.K.; Simon, M.F.; de Faria, S.M. (2021) Nodulation of the neotropical legume genus Calliandra by Alpha or Betaproteobacterial symbionts is dependent on the biogeographical origins of the host species., Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, 52(4), 2153-2168
- Zhang, J.; Peng, S.; Li, S.; Song, J.; Brunel, B.; Wang, E.; James, E. K.; Chen, W.; Andrews, M. (2021) Arachis hypogaea L. from Acid Soils of Nanyang (China) Is Frequently Associated with Bradyrhizobium guangdongense and Occasionally with Bradyrhizobium ottawaense or Three Bradyrhizobium Genospecies, Microbial Ecology, 84(2), 556-564
- Westhoek, A.; Clark, L.J.; Culbert, M.; Dalchau, N.; Griffiths, M.; Jorrin, B.; Karunakaran, R.; Ledermann, R.; Tkacz, A.; Webb, I.; James, E.K.; Poole, P.S.; Turnbull, L.A. (2021) Conditional sanctioning in a legume-Rhizobium mutualism, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(19), Art. E2025760118
- Rhem, M.F.K.; Silva, V.C.; dos Santos, J.M.F.; Zilli, J.E.; James, E.K.; Simon, M.F.; Gross, E. (2021) The large mimosoid genus Inga Mill (tribe Ingeae, Caesalpinioideae) is nodulated by diverse Bradyrhizobium strains in its main centers of diversity in Brazil, Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 44(6), Art. 126268.
- Montiel, J.; Reid, D.; Grønbæk, T.H.; Benfeldt, C.M.; James, E.K.; Ott, T.; Ditengou, F.A.; Nadzieja, M.; Kelly, S.; Stougaard, J. (2021) Distinct signalling routes mediate intercellular and intracellular rhizobial infection in Lotus japonicus, Plant Physiology, 185(3), 1131-1147
- Jorrin, B.; Maluk, M.; Atoliya, N.; Kumar, S.C.; Chalasani, D.; Tkacz, A.; Singh, P.; Basu, A.; Pullabhotla, S.V.S.R.N.; Kumar, M.; Mohanty, S.R.; East, A.K.; Ramachandran, V.K.; James, E.K.; Appa Rao, P.; Saxena, A.K.; Rao, D.L.N.; Poole, P.S. (2021) Genomic diversity of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L Millsp) endosymbionts in India and selection of potential strains for use as agricultural inoculants., Frontiers in Plant Science, 7(12), Art. 680981
- Crang, N.; Borah, K.; James, E.K.; Jorrín, B.; Green, P.; Tkacz, A.; East, A.K.; Poole, P.S. (2021) Role and regulation of poly3hydroxybutyrate in nitrogen fixation in Azorhizobium caulinodans Molecular PlantMicrobe Interactions., Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 34(12), 1390-1398
- Lemcke, R.; Sjökvist, E.; Visentin, S.; Kamble, M.; James, E. K.; Hjørtshøj, R.; Wright, K. M.; Avrova, A.; Newton, A. C.; Havis, N. D.; Radutoiu, S.; Lyngkjær, M. F. (2021) Deciphering Molecular Host-Pathogen Interactions During Ramularia Collo-Cygni Infection on Barley, Front. Plant Sci., 12, Article No. 747661
- Young, J.P.W.; Moeskjær, S.; Afonin, A.; Rahi, P.; Maluk, M.; James, E.K.; Cavassim, M.I.A.; Rashid, M.; Aserse, A.A.; Perry, B.J.; Wang, E.T.; Velázquez, E.; Andronov, E.E.; Tampakaki, A.; Flores Félix, J.D.; Rivas González, R.; Youseif, S.H.; Lepetit, M.; Boivin, S.; Jorrin, B.; Kenicer, G.J.; Peix, A.; Hynes, M.F.; Ramírez-Bahena, M.H.; Gulati, A.; Tian, C-F. (2021) Defining the rhizobium leguminosarum species complex, Genes, 12(1), Article No. 111
- Raittz, R.T.; Reginatto De Pierri, C.; Maluk, M.; Bueno Batista, M.; Carmona, M.; Junghare, M.; Faoro, H.; Cruz, L.M.; Battistoni, F.; de Souza, E.; de Oliverira Pedrosa, F.; Chen, W.-M.; Poole, P.S.; Dixon, R.A.; James, E.K. (2021) Comparative genomics provides insights into the taxonomy of Azoarcus and reveals separate origins of Nif genes in the proposed Azoarcus and Aromatoleum genera, Genes, 12(1), Article No. 71
- Mavima, L.; Beukes, C.W.; Palmer, M.; De Meyer, S.E.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Gross, E.; Bueno dos Reis Junior, F.; Avontuur, J.R.; Chan, W.Y.; Venter, S.N.; Steenkamp, E.T. (2021) Paraburkholderia youngii sp. nov. and 'Paraburkholderia atlantica' - Brazilian and Mexican Mimosa-associated rhizobia that were previously known as Paraburkholderia tuberum sv. Mimosae., Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 44, Article No. 126152
- Unkovich, M.; Herridge, D.; James, E.K.; Giller, K.; Peoples, M.B. (2020) Reliable quantification of N-2 fixation by non-legumes remains problematic., Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 118, 223-225.
- Reis, V.M.; Alves, B.J.R.; Hartmann, A.; James, E.K.; Zilli, J.E. (2020) Beneficial microorganisms in agriculture: the future of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria., Plant and Soil, 451, 1-3.
- Choudhary, S.; Tak, N.; Bissa, G.; Chouhan, B.; Choudhary, P.; Sprent, J.I.; James, E.K.; Gehlot, H.S. (2020) The widely distributed legume tree Vachellia (Acacia) nilotica subsp. indica is nodulated by genetically diverse Ensifer strains in India., Symbiosis, 80, 15-31.
- Estrada-de los Santos, P.; Palmer, M.; Steenkamp, E.T.; Maluk, M.; Beukes, C.; Hirsch, A.M.; James, E.K.; Venter, S.N. (2019) Trinickia dabaoshanensis sp. nov., a new name for a lost species., Archives of Microbiology, 201, 1313-1316.
- Pastor-Bueis, R.; Sanchez-Canizares, C.; James, E.K.; Gonzalez-Andres, F. (2019) Formulation of a highly effective inoculant for common bean based on an autochthonous elite strain of rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli, and genomic-based insights into its agronomic performance., Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, Article No. 2724.
- Dello Jacovo, E.; Valentine, T.A.; Maluk, M.; Toorop, P.; Lopez del Egido, L.; Frachon, N.; Kenicer, G.; Park, L.; Goff, M.; Ferro, V.A.; Bonomi, C.; James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2019) Towards a characterisation of the wild legume bitter vetch (Lathyrus linifolius L. (Reichard) Bässler): heteromorphic seed germination, root nodule structure and N-fixing rhizobial symbionts., Plant Biology, 2, 523-532.
- Vasconcelos, M.W.; Grusak, M.A.; Pinto, E.; Gomes, A.; Ferreira, H.; Balázs, B.; Centofanti, T.; Ntatsi, G.; Savvas, D.; Karkanis, A.; Williams, M.; Vandenberg, A.; Toma, L.; Shrestha, S.; Akaichi, F.; Oré Barrios, C.; Gruber, S.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Karley, A.J.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2020) The Biology of Legumes and Their Agronomic, Economic, and Social Impact, In: Hasanuzzaman, M., Araújo, S., Gill, S. (eds.) The Plant Family Fabaceae: Biology and Physiological Responses to Environmental Stresses, Springer, 3-25
- James, E.K. (2016) Nitrogen fixation., In: Thomas, B., Murray, B.G. & Murphy, D.J. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Applied Plant Sciences, 2nd Edition, Waltham, MA, Academic Press, Volume 1, pp271-277.
- Hartmann, A.; James, E.K.; de Bruijn, F.J.; Schwab, S.; Rothballer, M.; Schmid, M. (2015) In situ localization and strain-specific quantification of Azospirillum and other diazotrophic plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) using antibodies and molecular probes., In: Cassan, F.D., Okon, J. & Cecilia Creus, C. (eds.). Handbook for Azospirillum. Technical Issues and Protocols. Springer, Dordrecht, Chapter 3, pp45-64.
- Moulin, L.; James, E.K.; Klonowska, A.; Miana de Faria, S.; Simon, M.F. (2015) Phylogeny, diversity, geographical distribution and host range of legume-nodulating Betaproteobacteria: what is the role of plant taxonomy?, In: de Bruijn, E. (ed.). Biological Nitrogen Fixation. Volume 1. Wiley-Blackwell, Chapter 17, pp177-190
- Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.; Black, K.; Hawes, C.; Karley, A.j.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Newton, A.; Squire, G.R.; Walker, G.; White, P. (2017) Teaming up for good: intercropping and farming-science partnership at the James Hutton Institute., NGO Report for www.LEAF.org, 8 November 2017.
- Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.; Black, K.; Hawes, C.; Karley, A.J.; James, E.K.; Maluk, M.; Newton, A.C.; Squire, G.R.; Walker, G.; White, P.J. (2017) Sustainable legume systems for improved primary produce., SAB Annual Report, May 2017.
- Squire, G.R.; Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K.; Karley, A.J.; Young, M.W. (2011) Scotland's wild arable plants., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2010, pp21-23.
- Carmona, M.; Lafos, M.; Maluk, M.; Batista, M.B.; Junghare, M.; Faoro, H.; Magalhães, L.; Battistoni, F.J.; Souza, E.M.; Pedrosa, F.O.; Chen, W.M.; Prasad, G.; Poole, P.S.; Dixon, R.A.; James, E.K. (2018) Comparative genomics reveals Azoarcus comprises three genera: Azoarcus sensu stricto, Aromatoleum gen. nov. and Gallonia gen. nov., XVI Symposium on Biological Nitrogen Fixation with Non-Legumes and IV LatinAmerican Workshop of PGPR. Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, 26 August - 1 September 2018. Book of Abstracts, Short Note II.V, pp39.
- Black, K.; Walker, G.; White, P.J.; Maluk, M.; Squire, G.R.; James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2016) Intercropping: pea supported production of barley for brewing and distilling., In: Abstracts of the British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Liverpool, 11-14 December 2016. Conference paper and presentation
- Black, K.; Walker, G.; White, P.J.; Karley, A.; Ramsay, L.; Ramsay, G.; James, E.K.; Squire, G.R.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2016) Mainstream pulses: exploring local solutions to supply chain limitations., 2nd Conference of the International Legume Society, Legumes for a Sustainable World, Tróia, Portugal, 11-14 October 2016. Conference paper and presentation.
- Iannetta, P.P.M.; Karley, A.; Ramsay, L.; Ramsay, G.; James, E.K.; Squire, G.R. (2016) Sustainable and profitable protein production using faba bean., 14th Congress of the European Society of Agronomy, in association with Association of Applied Biologists, Edinburgh, Scotland, 5-9 September 2016. Conference paper and presentation.
- James, E.K.; Lopez del Egido, L.; Maluk, M.; Young, M.; Hawes, C.; Squire, G.R.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2016) Nitrogen fixation by faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in a 4 year crop rotation in East Scotland., 12th European Nitrogen Fixation Congress, Budapest, Hungary, 25-28 August 2016. (Conference paper, presentation and poster).
- Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.; James, E.K.; Smith, B.; Davies, C.; Karley, A.J.; Lopez del Egido, L.; Hawes, C.; Young, M.; Ramsay, G.; Birch, A.N.E.; Valentine, T.A.; Warburton-Brown, C.; Goldring, A.; Hughes, T.; Sprent, J.; Wolfe, M.; Rees, R.M. (2013) Sustainable intensification: a pivotal role for legume supported cropped systems., AAB/BeS-AeG Rethinking Farmed Systems in the UK, St. Catherine’s College University of Oxford, 18-19 December 2013. Co-organiser/Invited speaker. Aspects Applied Biology 121, 73-82.
- James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Doherty, S.; Young, M.W.; Hawes, C.; Squire, G.R.; (2012) Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by faba bean at the Centre for Sustainable Cropping (CSC), Dundee, Scotland., 10th European Nitrogen Fixation Conference. Munich, 2-5 September 2012.
- Young, M.W.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K.; Karley, A.J.; Squire, G.R. (2011) Increasing the sustainability of arable yield and reducing the dependence on chemical N fertilisers., Aspects of Applied Biology, Agricultural Ecology Research: Its role in delivering sustainable farm systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011, 109, pp81-86.
- James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R. (2010) Nodulation of agriculturally and ecologically important legumes in East Scotland by Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. vicieae., Nitrogen and Global Change Conference, Edinburgh International Conference Centre, 11-14 April 2010.
- Osei, Y.; James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R.; Sprent, J.I.; Huss-Danell, K. (2009) Nitrogen fixation and genetic diversity of rhizobia nodulating native legumes in Sweden., 16th International Nitrogen Fixation Congress, Montana USA, 14-19 June 2009.
- Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K.; Thow, G.; Minchin, F.R.; Simpson, C.G.; Sprent, J.I.; Williamson, B. (1998) Immunolocalisation of polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein (PGIP) in white lupin., Proceedings of 8th Scottish Cell Wall Group Meeting, Dundee, 8-9 April 1998, 6.
- Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.; Boath, A.; James, E.; Hawes, C.; Karley, A.J.; Maluk, M.; Ferrando Molina, F.; Newton, A.C.; Quilliam, R.; Squire, G. (2018) The potential of legume-supported food- and feed-chains to strengthen capacities for sustainable economic development., CECHR Annual Symposium, University of Dundee, Dundee, 21 May 2018.
- Maluk, M.; Lafos, M.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K. (2018) Developing elite rhizobial inoculants to improve the productivity of grain legume crops in the UK., XV European Society for Agronomy Congress (ESA), Geneva, Switzerland, 27-31 August 2018. (Poster presentation).
- Dello Jacovo, E.; James, E.K.; Kenicer, G.; Park, L.; Valentine, T.A.; Bonomi, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2015) Conserving rare and endangered mountain legumes in the genera Astragalus and Oxytropis., British Ecological Society, Annual Meeting, Edinburgh, 14-16 December 2015. Poster presentation.
- Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K.; Hawes, C.; Lopez Del Egido, L.; Karley, A.; Olukosi, O.; Houdijk, J.; Crampton, V.; Moench, M.; Palomba, G.; Ianieri, J.; Clarke, F.; Duncan, K.; Squire, G.; Walker, G.; Ramsay, G. (2014) The road less travelled: from ‘ecological services’ to ‘agronomic practice., In: Abstracts of the European Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting, University of Debrecen, Hungary 25-29 September 2014. Poster presentation.
- Burchill, W.; Li, D.; Lanigan, G.; Williams, M.; James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Humphreys, J. (2014) Comparisons of biological nitrogen (N) fixation of white clover measured using two 15N techniques under four fertiliser N input., 10th Congress on Agriculture and the Environment X, Delivering Multiple Benefits from our Land: Sustainable Development in Practice, John McIntyre Conference Centre, Edinburgh, 15-16 April 2014. (Poster presentation)
- James, E.K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Doherty, S.; Young, M.W.; Hawes, C.; Karley, A.J.; Squire, G.R.; (2012) Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by faba bean at the Centre for Sustainable Cropping, Dundee, Scotland., 2nd Annual Meeting of Legume Futures, University of Athens, 26-30 March 2012 (Poster).
