MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION
MS 197
BERGERSEN, F J, FAA (1929-2011)
Bergersen was Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO Division of Plant Industry 1972-94.
At various times during this period he was Leader of the Rhizobium Research Group,
Chairman of the Microbiology Section and Program Leader, Nitrogen in Agriculture (etc.).
197/1 Science-related correspondence
1 Bundle 1 1954-67 (incomplete) and general correspondence 1967-73
2 Bundle 2 general correspondence 1974-76
197/2 Science-related correspondence (cont’d)
1 Bundle 3 general correspondence 1977-79
2 Bundle 4 general correspondence 1980-81
3 Bundle 5 general correspondence 1982-83
4 Bundle 6 general correspondence 1984-85
197/3 Science-related correspondence (cont’d)
1 Bundle 7 general correspondence 1986-87
2 Bundle 8 general correspondence 1988-89
3 Bundle 9 general correspondence 1990-91
197/4 Science-related correspondence (cont’d)
1 Bundle 10 general correspondence 1992-93
2 Bundle 11 general correspondence 1994
3 Bundle 11a Collaborative Research Project Canberra/Wagga Wagga 1981-87
4 Bundle 11b US-Australia Plant Molecular Biology Workshop, Fraser Island, Qld 1985
5. Science-related correspondence - special projects
5 Bundle 12 FJB as a founding editor of the journal Soil biology & biochemistry 1968-95
197/5 Science-related correspondence - special projects (cont’d)
1 Bundle 13 D H Kohl / FJB collaboration 1988-93
2 Bundle 14 FJB and Microbiology Resource Centers (MIRCENS) 1974-75
3 Bundle 15a FJB - collaboration with Brazil 1970-95
197/6 Science-related correspondence - special projects (cont’d)
1 Bundle 15b FJB and the Programa de Cooperaçao internacional de Treinamento e Pesquisa
basica em fixaçao de Nitrogenio nos Tropicos 1974-77
2 Bundle 15c FJB Travel to New Zealand and Brazil 1977
3 Bundle 16 CSIRO Plant Industry and U-DALS / AIRCS (University of Sydney - NSW Department
of Agriculture Laboratory Service / Australian Inoculant Research and Control Service) 1963-81
4 Bundle 17 FJB’s overseas travel 1966-68
5 Bundle 18 FJB’s overseas travel 1970
197/7 Science-related correspondence - special projects (cont’d)
1 Bundle 19 FJB and the Pacific Science Congress in Canberra 1971 - an IBP-related congress
2 Bundle 20 FJB’s overseas travel and study leave 1973
3 Bundle 21 FJB Rockefeller Foundation consultation, New York, 1971
4 Bundle 22 FJB at GIAMIV - Sao Paulo and ‘Curos Avancado’ at Piracidaba / Campinas July 1973
5 Bundle 23 4th International Symposium on Nitrogen Fixation, Canberra, November-December 1980.
(AAS sponsored)
197/8 Science-related correspondence - special projects (cont’d)
1 Bundle 24 FJB and the AAS-sponsored visit to China by a group of Australian nitrogen-fixation
scientists May 1983
FJB’s study visit to Europe August-September 1983 and for the 5th International Symposium on
Nitrogen Fixation, Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands
2 Bundle 25 FJB as Australian representative to ASCA seminar, Tokyo, February 1982
3 Bundle 26 A Century of Nitrogen-fixation Research: Royal Society Discussion Meeting, London,
1986 and a CIBA Foundation Discussion, and Universiti Pertanian Malaysia BIONifT Symposium
“Biotechnology of Nitrogen Fixation in the Tropics”), August 1986
4 Bundle 27 CSIRO restructuring 1985-87: FJB’s role in the Institute Model Study
197/9 Science-related correspondence - special projects (cont’d)
1 Monograph Root modules of legumes: structure and functions 1982: correspondence with Research
Studies Press / J Wiley & Sons, with artwork and copies of reviews. File also includes other book
chapters 1971-74
2 Correspondence about papers 1971-91, some of which contained controversial points of disagreement
with referees at the time
3 Correspondence re Methods for evaluating biological nitrogen fixation, J Wiley & Sons, Chichester,
UK, 1980. Includes letters from Professor G Bond (Glasgow University) and Professor W D P Stewart (later
Chief Scientist, UK Cabinet Office 1990-95), with other authors and also various book reviews, received
via the publisher.
4 FJB’s role as a member of the “Steering Committee” which oversaw the Supernodulating Soybean, Section 39
(Public Interest) Project, funded by the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce 1986-89. The project
was joint between ANU, DITAC and Pacific Seeds Ltd.
197/10 Science-related correspondence - special projects (cont’d)
1 International agricultural projects 1979-92 (1. The Nitrogen / Rice / ADAB report 1979. 2. ACIAR beginnings.
3. Projects 8305 and 8800)
2-3. Experimental data
2 New Zealand work 1952-53:
Report on acrylic monomers and survival of pyogenic staphylococcus
Micrographs of E. coli and of B. mycoides (later identified as B. megatherium) - material used in two J.
Gen. Microbiol. papers
3 Experiments at Armidale 1955-57
197/11 Experimental data (cont’d)
1 General data from Canberra laboratory experiments 1955-57
2 Nitrogen analyses and mass spectrometer determinations 1961-62
3 Experiments 1963-65:
NH3 - the first free product of N2 fixation in soybean nodules
N2 fixation by Macrozamia
Apparent N2 fixation by Podocarpus lawrenciae
197/12 Experimental data (cont’d)
Experiments CF1-43 about N2 fixation in nodule breis, bacteroid suspensions and cell-free extracts, 1965-67
197/13 Experimental data (cont’d)
Experiments CF44-98 about N2 fixation in nodule breis, bacteroid suspensions and cell-free extracts, 1967-68
197/14 Experimental data (cont’d)
Experiments CF99-109 about N2 fixation in nodule breis, bacteroid suspensions and cell-free extracts, 1968
Experiments with G L Turner and J Rigaud (University of Nice) on NO3 as a terminal acceptor for bacteroid
electron transport, in relation to nitrogenase activity 1971-73
Experiments with G L Turner and C A Appleby April-July 1972, which established a role of leghaemoglobin in
support of nitrogenase in root nodules and in suspensions of bacteroids. The results led to the collaboration
with J B Wittenberg in 1973, which established that the supporting role was in facilitation of O2 flux at low [O2].
197/15 Experimental data (cont’d)
Experiments with C A Appleby, G L Turner and J B Wittenberg January-May 1973 leading to establishment of
facilitated diffusion as the mechanism for enhancement of nitrogenase by LbO2 in shaken assays with soybean
becteroids. Also, correspondence about the paper which these experiments generated.
Experiments with C A Appleby and G L Turner 1973-74 on shaken, microaerobic assays with LbO2, CB1809 and
CC705 soybean bacteroids
197/16-27 Collected Experimental Data
These papers are records of experiments, collected into bundles about similar topics, mostly according to date.
They consist of pages from record books and of papers originally kept in loose-leaf binders or as stapled or
clipped sets kept in suspension files. In some cases, correspondence relating publications have been filed with
relevant experimental records. [Please note that records of flow chamber experiments with soybean bacteroids
from 1990 to 1994, are still in use by the author. They will be added to this collection in due course.
(FJB Feb, 1997)]
197/16 Collected Experimental Data 1954 - 1974
1.1a Fragmentary records from Otago University research 1952-54 and fragmentary CSIRO Plant Industry records - 1954
1.1b Data about pelleting legume seed 1957
1.1c Early measurements of soybean bacteroid respiration; also of cultured bacteria 1957
1.1d Bacteroid suspension data 1957 - 58
1.1e Experiments at the University of Wisconsin 1958 - 59
1.1f Microspectroscopy of leghaemoglobin in soybean nodules 1961
1.1g Respiration of detached soybean nodules 1961 - 62
1.1h Haemoglobin content of nodule tissue in relation to volume 1961 - 62
1.1i Evolution of H2 and D2/H exchange by detached soybean nodules 1962
1.1j Respiration, N2 fixation and RQ of detached soybean nodules 1964
1.1k Nodulation of clovers in field pastures, Ruffy tableland, Vic. 1964
1.1l Ferritin in developing soybean nodules 1962
1.1m Growth studies - rhizobia in synthetic media, 1960 and 1964
197/17 Collected Experimental Data 1954 - 1974 (cont’d)
1.2a Mo and nitrate reductase in soybean nodules, 1960
1.2b Purification of soybean bacteroid nitrogenase and the "Nature paper that never was" 1969-72
1.2c Cell-free extracts of CB1809 bacteroids from soybean 1968-69
1.2d Kinetic experiments with purified nitrogenase 1970 - 72
197/18 Collected Experimental Data 1954 - 1974 (cont’d)
1.3a Effects of CO on detached nodules and bacteroid suspensions 1967
1.3b Material used for international symposia in the U.K. 1968.
1.3c Data for experiments with cell-free preparations of CB1809 bacteroid nitrogenase 1969 - 74
1.3d Bacteroid cell-free extracts: C2H2 versuss 15N2 fixation
1.3e Reactivation of bacteroid nitrogenase Fe-protein 1970 - 71
1.3f Comparisons of N2 fixation and C2H2-reduction 1968 - 70
197/19 Collected Experimental Data 1954 - 1974 (cont’d)
1.4a Strains of B.japonicum from Brazil - a hydrogenase connection? 1972
1.4b Residual records from visit to the AFRC Unit of Nitrogen Fixation, U.Sussex, UK 1973
1.4c Purification of nitrogenase from bacteroids of nodules on Lupinus luteus 1976 - 77
Collected Experimental Data 1973 - 1984
2.1a About the presence of leghaemoglobin within symbiosomes of soybean nodules 1975 - 81
2.1b Notes about lectures in Campinas, S.P., Brazil in 1973. Miscellaneous calculations
2.1Ba Development of no-gas-phase systems for studying bacteroids January - May 1974
2.1Bb No-gas-phase experiments about respiratory oxidases of CB1809 bacteroids from nodules
on Lincoln soybeans. June - October 1974
197/20 Collected Experimental Data 1973 - 1984 (cont’d)
2.1Bc Various experiments with CB1809 bacteroids with O2 electrode and other no-gas-phase
methods, looking at effects of inhibitors and respiratory substrates; February 1976 - March 1977.
Description of the first systems to sample stirred, no-gas-phase reactions for nitrogenase activity
and deoxygenation of leghaemoglobin, March - April 1977; Description and use of a prototype flow
chamber and ancillary methodology, November - December 1977
2.1Bd The first flow chamber experiments; comparison of CB1809 bacteroids and chemostat cultures;
analysis of difficulties with some inhibitors causing oxidation of leghaemoglobin and tests of
effects of fatty-acid-free BSA on bacteroid activities; January 1978 - March 1979
2.1Be Flow chamber experiments with CB1809 bacteroids, May 1979 - December 1982; attempts to
measure *pH,**, nitrogenase and O2 consumption during steady states
2.1c Protocols and data about preparation of purified, mixed component leghaemoglobin from
soybean nodules, 1975 - 77
2.1d Development of chemostat techniques in Canberra and their use for establishing N2
fixation in culture by cowpea rhizobia strains 32H1 and CB756. 1975 - 77
197/21 Collected Experimental Data 1973 - 1984 (cont’d)
2.1e Chemostat studies with B.japonicum, Azotobacter vinelandii Azospirillum brasilense,
Klebsiella pneumoniae. 1977 - 78
2.1f Respiration and N2 fixation by chemostat-grown diazotrophic bacteria, 1978
2.1g Morphometric data about clover nodules. 1978
2.2a Uses of 15N enrichment to measure N2 fixation; early surveys of *15N in field-grown
plants; N2 fixation in Azolla pinnata. 1979 - 80
2.2b Uses of 15N enrichment and *15N methods for measuring N2 fixation in field
settings; glasshouse and plot trials in 1981
2.2c A glasshouse experiment tracing incorporation of 15N-labelled legume residues. 1982 - 83
2.2d Possible losses of fixed N from lupins. 1982 - 83
2.2e 15N discrimination in parts of N2-fixing soybean plants 1985-87
197/22 Collected Experimental Data 1973 - 1984 (cont’d)
2.2f *15N of residual N after growth of soybeans in vermiculite/sand mixtures, 1986 - 87
2.2g Data about leaf fall in a soybean crop at Yanco, NSW, 1984-85 and *15N in soil N under and near
a bovine faecal pad at Trangie, NSW
2.3a Data about O2-electrode traces and cuvette assays of deoxygenation of oxyleghaemoglobin.
Parallel experiments filed together. June -October 1979
2.3b Calculations about penetration of O2 into aggregates of diazotrophic bacteria, 1988
2.3c Various experiments with CB1809 bacteroids including measurements of *pH and of the effects
of various leghaemoglobin components; May and August 1984; also effects of phosphate buffers 1985
2.4a Flow chamber experiments with bacteroids from nodules of Sesbania rostrata, and Parasponia
andersonii, April - October 1987
2.4b Flow chamber experiments with CB1809 bacteroids from soybean nodules, 1985 - 87
197/23 Collected Experimental Data 1987 - 1993
3.1a Flow chamber experiments with CB1809 bacteroids 1987 - 88
3.1b Flow chamber experiments with CB1809 bacteroids, March - October 1989
3.1c Glasshouse and field experiments with soybeans, tracing deposition and depletion of
poly-*-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) in CB1809 bacteroids, December 1989 - March 1990
3.1d Relationships between N2 fixation, accumulation and depletion of PHB in HUP phenotypes
of B.japonicum. December 1992 - Feb.1993
3.1e Measurement of the diffusion of oxyleghaemoglobin, 1992
197/24 Collaborative research 1968-1994
4.1 Correspondence and data about work with Dr.Eben Hipsley, Commonwealth Department of
Health, Canberra, about diazotrophic bacteria in the large intestines of sweet-potato-eating people
in the highlands of Papua-New Guinea. 1968 - 1973
4.2a Nodule structure and leghaemoglobin location. Data and correspondence with Dr.B.E Caldwell,
USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA and Dr.P.J.Dart, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts, UK. 1968 - 69
4.2b Morphometric measurements on micrographs of soybean nodules with Dr.D.J.Goodchild,
CSIRO Plant Industry,1971 -72
197/25 Collaborative research 1968-1994 (cont’d)
4.3a Calculations and drafts for a proposed paper with Dr.A.N.Stokes, CSIRO Mathematics and
Statistics, 1978 - 82
4.3b Correspondence and calculations for a paper with Dr.J-C. Trinchant, University of Nice,
France. 1983 - 84
4.4a Collaborative experiments with Dr.Heather Brasell, CSIRO Tasmanian Regional Laboratory,
about N2 fixation by post-fire bryophytes, 1981
4.4b Collaboration with French laboratories about *15N in nodules of Lupinus spp. produced
by various strains of rhizobia - resolution of a controversy 1984 - 85
4.4c Collaboration with Dr.J.Evans and others at the Agricultural Research Institute,
Wagga Wagga, NSW, about measuring N2 fixation in field experiments with Lupinus angustifolius, 1983 - 87
197/26 Collaborative research 1968-1994 (cont’d)
4.5a Experiments with Dr.Christina Kennedy, AFRC Unit of N2 fixation, University of Sussex,
UK, during her visit to CSIRO Plant Industry, 1980
4.5b Experiments with Dr.Susan Hill, during her visit from the same lab. in 1982
4.5c Experiments with Dr.Allan Downie during a visit from the John Innes Institute, Norwich,
UK and during a subsequent appointment in CSIRO Plant Industry, 1984, 1987 - 88
4.6a Results of experiments with Prof.Te May Ching, Oregon State University, USA about energy
charge in nitrogenase-active continuous (chemostat) cultures of Rhizobium sp.strain CB756, 1979 - 80
4.6b Results of experiments with Dr.Christiana Gebhardt, Germany, during her visit to CSIRO Plant
Industry, about N2 fixation by Azorhizobium caulinodans (ORS571) in continuous (chemostat) cultures,
May 1982 - January 1983
4.6c Results of experiments with Dr.C.A.Appleby (CSIRO Plant Industry) and Dr.Linda
Thony-Meyer (ETH, Zurich, Switzerland) during her visit, about work with cytochrome mutants of
B.japonicum strains in chemostat culture at
low [dissolved O2], 1988
197/27 Collaborative research 1968-1994 (cont’d)
4.7a Cuvette and flow chamber experiments with CSIRO Plant Industry collaborators,
on bacteroids from stem and root nodules of Sesbania rostrata, infected with A.caulinodans
ORS571, April 1985
4.7b Experiments about N2 fixation by induced cultures of Azoarchus sp.strain BH72,
with Drs.Barbara and Thomas Hurek (Germany) during their visit to CSIRO Plant
Industry, August - November 1988
4.7c Experiments with Prof.D.H.Kohl, Washington University, St Louis Mo, USA, during
his visit August - December 1990
5.1 Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACAIR) 1983-5, papers and correspondence
5.2 CSIRO Division of Plant Industry, Microbiology Section/Program E: Papers about the
development of a project about the use of cellulosic wastes as an enery source for N2 fixation
197/28 Experimental Records 1991-1993
5.3 The Flow Chamber Design. Developmjent of calculations for Flow Chamber experiments using
automatic data recording
5.3a Flow Chamber data CB1809 Bacteroids March-October 1991: Various substrates and concentrations
after periods of endogenous (plaketobutyrate) respiration
5.3b Flow Chamber data CB1809 Bacteroids November-December 1991 (FCD 511, 1911, 2611, 412) Endogenous
and various C4 carboxylates as substrates
5.3c Flow Chamber data CB1809 Bacteroids January 1992-November 1993: Various substrates including
EtOH and 2-O-glutarate (FCD 231, 173, 303, 103, 065, 1011, 2411)
197/29 Experimental Records 1991-2002
5.4a Development of a simulation model of a soybean nodule cell 1991-1994 (Cell 1-Cell 6)
5.4b The mitochondrial zone of the model cell, soybean root nodules 1993-1994
5.4c Simulation model of a soybean nodules cell – further improvements to the model cell (Cell 73-74) 1995-1999
5.4d Modifications to the model cell to include two bacteroid terminal oxidases of different
affinity for O2 (Cell 75). Derivation of two terminal oxidases from steady-state measurements of bacteroid
respitation in flow-chamber reactions
5.5 Post-retirement fellowships at the ANU (visiting fellowship, Universtity fellowship) 1994-2002
5.5a(i) Experimental data in collaboration with Ms R. Holtzapffel August-November 1996
197/30 Experimental Records 1997-2002
5.5a(ii) Experimental data in collaboration with Youzhong Li, PhD student 1998-1999: Journal of
Bacteriology 182 2838-2844, Green et al. (2000)
5.5a(ii) Experimental data in collaboration with Youzhong Li (cont.) Flow chamber experiments
August 1997-August 2002. Experiments 1-5 contain some protocols and spectrophotometer measurements,
spreadsheets etc. as complete records. Later experiments have only summary data (experiments 1-14)
5.5a(ii) Experimental data in collaboration with Youzhong Li (cont.) Malate transport in
bacteroids from flow chamber experiments (experiments 14-18)
5.5a(ii) Experimental data in collaboration with Youzhong Li (cont.) Experimants with flow
chamber bacteroids about possible production of alanine from N2 (experiments 19-31) 1998-1999
5.5a(ii) Experimental data in collaboration with Youzhong Li (cont.) Various experiments
with flow chamber bacteroids, lokijng for alanine (experiments 32-38) 1999
5.5a(ii) Experimental data in collaboration with Youzhong Li (cont.) Email re: Results
of 15N experiments November 1998-August 2002
197/31
1 House plans, Hamilton, NZ
2 Family photos, mainly of FJB’s children’s weddings
3 2nd Australian Conference in Soil Science, Melbourne, August 1957. Includes photos and report on microbiology specialist sessions.
4 2nd International Conference on the Global Impacts of Applied Microbiology, Ethiopia, November 1967
5 Visits to Brazil, 1970-1996
6 “F J Bergersen and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)”. 1979-1992
7 Research 1954-2003
8 Australian Academy of Science sponsored visit to People’s Republic of China. 1983
9 International Congress on Nitrogen Fixation, Köln, February 1988
10 Academy delegation to South Korea, April 1990. Invitations and photos
11 Visit to ICSU General Assembly, Sofia and to other scientific organisations in Europe, 1990. Reports and photos.
12 Visit to Taiwan, October 1990. Report and photos
13 Visit to UK and Finland, May – June 1992
14 Planning meeting for establishment of an Asian network of Biological Sciences (ABN), Singapore, February 1995
15 Visit to Brazil, November 1995. Photos
16 Miscellaneous material, mainly relating to FJB’s term as Australian Academy of Science Foreign Secretary, 1989-1993
17 “Australia’s non-governmental role – an Academy view”. Presentation by FJB to NSTAG forum on “Going Global – Australia’s part in international science and technology”, November 1992 and proceedings of the forum
18 Soybean strain experiments 1992-1993. Photos. Includes a photo of the demolition of Building 3 at CSIRO in May 1997.
19Stem cells and cloning. 1993-2001
434 cm
[Note: Data from collaborative experiments measuring N2 fixation by 15N methods in soybean crops at Leeton, Yanco and Trangie, NSW, and in various ACIAR experiments overseas, are held with the other experimental records by Dr.M.B.Peoples, CSIRO Plant Industry.]
