Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) · University of Pretoria
Email: chrizelle.beukes@fabi.up.ac.za
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3164-0698
Research groups: DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Plant Health Biotechnology · Tree Protection Co-operative Programme
Dr Chrizelle Krynauw (née Beukes)
Postdoctoral Fellow
About
The focus of my research is to identify, characterise and study the evolution of a special group of soil bacteria. These bacteria (informally referred to as 'rhizobia') can enter into a symbiotic interaction with legumes, where they fix atmospheric nitrogen for the plant and receive photosynthetic products in return. The most obvious result of the interaction is the formation of nodules by the plants (predominantly on the roots, but sometimes also on the stem), in which the rhizobia are housed. In South Africa we have a large diversity of legumes, the most well-known of which is most probably rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis). During my time in FABI I have been involved in showcasing how unique South African rhizobia are in both the alpha-rhizobia (e.g., from the genera Bradyrhizobium and Mesorhizobium) as well as the beta-rhizobial genus Paraburkholderia.
I have moved to Scotland in 2022 where I now work as a Research Scientist on Beneficial Plant- Microbe Interactions at the James Hutton Institute. My current research scope has expanded to also include crop legumes such as clover and bean. I remain involved with several rhizobial projects at FABI and also act as a co-supervisor to a number of PhD students.
My Publications
Journal Articles (26)
Maake MM, Beukes CW, van der Nest MA, Avontuur JR, Muema EK, Stepkowski T, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET (2025) Argyrolobium legumes from an African centre of endemism associate with novel Bradyrhizobium species harbouring unique sets of symbiosis genes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 214. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2025.108471
Mavima L, Steenkamp ET, Beukes CW, Palmer M, De Meyer SE, James EK, Venter SN, Coetzee MPA (2025) Estimated timeline for the evolution of symbiotic nitrogen fixing Paraburkholderia. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
213.
doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2025.108447
Rouws L, Barauna A, Beukes C, Rouws JRC, de Faria SM, Gross E, dos Reis Junior FB, Simon MF, Maluk M, Odee DW, Fordeyn S, Kenicer G, Young JPW, Reis VM, Zilli J, James EK (2024) Soil characteristics drive contrasting patterns of association between symbiotic rhizobia of endemic and widespread Mimosa species in Brazil. Applied Soil Ecology. 204. doi: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2024.105741
Van Lill M, Venter SN, Muema EK, Palmer M., Beukes CW, Chan WY, Steenkamp ET (2024) SeqCode facilitates naming of South African rhizobia left in limbo. Systematics and Applied Microbiology. 47. doi: 10.1016/j.syapm.2024.126504
Belles-Sancho P, Beukes C, James EK, Pessi G (2023) Nitrogen-fixing symbiotic Paraburkholderia species: Current knowledge and future perspectives. Nitrogen. 4. doi: 10.3390/nitrogen4010010
Maluk M, Giles M, Wardell GE, Akramin AT, Ferrando-Molina F, Murdoch A, Barros M, Beukes C, Vasconcelos M, Harrison E, Daniell TJ, Quilliam RS, Iannetta PPM, James EK (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. doi: 10.3389/fagro.2023.1196873
Claassens R, Venter SN, Beukes CW, Stępkowski T, Chan WY, Steenkamp ET (2023) Bradyrhizobium xenonodulans sp. nov. isolated from nodules of Australian Acacia species invasive to South Africa. Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 46. doi: 10.1016/j.syapm.2023.126452
Francina L. Bopape, Chrizelle W. Beukes, Kopotsa Katlego, Ahmed I. Hassen, Emma T. Steenkamp, Eastonce T. Gwata (2022) Symbiotic Performance and Characterization of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) Rhizobia Occurring in South African Soils. Agriculture. 13.
Wanjofu EI, Venter SN, Beukes CW, Steenkamp ET, Gwata ET, Muema EK (2022) Nodulation and Growth Promotion of Chickpea by Mesorhizobium Isolates from Diverse Sources. MDPI-Microorganisms. 10.
Mavima L, Beukes CW, Palmer M, De Meyer SE, James EK, Maluk M, Muasya MA, Avontuur JR, Chan WY, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET (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. doi: 10.1016/j.syapm.2022.126316
Avontuur JR, Palmer M, Beukes CW, Wai YC, Tasiya T, van Zyl E, Coetzee MPA, Stepkowski T, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET (2022) Bradyrhizobium altum sp. nov., Bradyrhizobium oropedii sp. nov. and Bradyrhizobium acaciae sp. nov. from South Africa show locally restricted and pantropical nodA phylogeographic patterns. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 167. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107338
Beukes CW, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET (2021) The history and distribution of nodulating Paraburkholderia, a potential inoculum for Fynbos forage species. Grass and Forage Science. 76. doi: 10.1111/gfs.12522
Mavima L, Beukes CW, Palmer M, De Meyer SE, James EK, Maluk M, Gross E, dos Reis Junior FB, Avontuur JR, Chan WY, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET (2020) 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. doi: 10.1016/j.syapm.2020.126152
Beukes CW, Boshoff FS, Phalane FL, Hassen AI, le Roux MM, Stępkowski T, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET (2019) Both alpha- and beta-rhizobia occupy the root nodules of Vachellia karroo in South Africa. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01195
Beukes CW, Steenkamp ET, van Zyl E, Avontuur J, Chan WY, Hassen AI, Palmer M, Mthombeni LS, Phalane FL, Sereme TK, Venter SN (2019) Paraburkholderia strydomiana sp. nov. and Paraburkholderia steynii sp. nov.: rhizobial symbionts of the fynbos legume Hypocalyptus sophoroides. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. doi: 10.1007/s10482-019-01269-5
Estrada-de los Santos P, Palmer M, Steenkamp ET, Maluk M, Beukes C, Hirsch AM, James EK, Venter SN (2019)Trinickia dabaoshanensis sp. nov., a new name for a lost species. Archives in Microbiology. doi: 10.1007/s00203-019-01703-2
Avontuur JR, Palmer M, Beukes CW, Chan WY, Coetzee MPA, Blom J, Stępkowski T, Kyrpides NC, Woyke T, Shapiro N, Whitman WB, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET (2019) Genome-informed Bradyrhizobium taxonomy: where to from here?. Systematic and Applied Microbiology. doi: 10.1016/j.syapm.2019.03.006
Palmer M, Venter SN, McTaggart AR, Coetzee MPA, Van Wyk S, Avontuur JR, Beukes CW, Fourie G, Santana QC, Van der Nest MA, Blom J, Steenkamp ET (2019) The synergistic effect of concatenation in phylogenomics: the case in Pantoea. PeerJ. doi: 10.7717/peerj.6698
Estrada-de los Santos P, Palmer M, Chávez-Ramírez B, Beukes C, Steenkamp ET, Briscoe L, Khan N, Maluk M, Lafos M, Humm E, Arrabit M, Crook M, Gross E, Simon MF, Bueno dos Reis F, Whitman WB, Shapiro N, Poole PS, Hirsch AM, Venter SN, James EK (2018) Whole genome analyses suggests that Burkholderia sensu lato contains two additional novel genera (Mycetohabitans gen. nov., and Trinickia gen. nov.): Implications for the evolution of diazotrophy and nodulation in the Burkholderiaceae. Genes. 9. doi: 10.3390/genes9080389
Magadlela A, Beukes C, Venter F, Steenkamp E, Valentine A (2017) Does P deficiency affect nodule bacterial composition and N source utilization in a legume from nutrient-poor Mediterranean-type ecosystems?. Soil Biology & Biochemistry. 104. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2016.10.021
Beukes CW, Palmer M, Manyaka P, Chan W-Y, Avontuur JR, Van Zyl E, Huntemann M, Clum A, Pillay M, Palaniappan K, Varghese N, Mikhailova N, Stamatis D, Reddy TBK, Daum C, Shapiro N, Markowitz, V, Ivanova N, Kyrpides N, Woyke T, Blom J, Whitman WB, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET (2017) Genome data provides high support for generic boundaries in Burkholderia sensu lato. Frontiers in Microbiology. 8. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01154
Venter SN, Palmer M, Beukes CW, Chan W-Y, Shin G, Van Zyl E, Seale T, Coutinho TA, Steenkamp ET (2017) Practically delineating bacterial species with genealogical concordance. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek. 110. doi: 10.1007/s10482-017-0869-8
Beukes CW, Stepkowski T, Venter SN, Clapa T, Phalane FL, le Roux MM, Steenkamp ET (2016) Crotalarieae and Genisteae of the South African Great Escarpment are nodulated by novel Bradyrhizobium species with unique and diverse symbiotic loci. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 100. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.04.011
Steenkamp ET, van Zyl E, Beukes CW, Avontuur J, Chan W-Y, Palmer M, Mthombeni LS, Phalane FL, Sereme TK, Venter SN (2015)Burkholderia kirstenboschensis sp. nov. nodulates papilionoid legumes indigenous to South Africa. Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 38. doi: 10.1016/j.syapm.2015.09.003
Beukes CW, Venter SN, Law IJ, Phalane FL, Steenkamp ET (2013) South African papilionoid legumes are nodulated by diverse Burkholderia with unique nodulation and nitrogen-fixation loci. PLos ONE. 8. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068406
Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET, Santana QC, Coetzee MPA, Bam S, Barnes I, Beukes CW, Chane W-Y, de Vos L, Fourie G, Friend M, Gordon TR, Herron DA, Holt C, Korf I, Kvas M, Martin SH, Mlonyeni XO, Naidoo K, Phasha MM, Postma A, Reva O, Roos H, Simpson M, Slinski S, Slippers B, Sutherland R, van der Merwe NA, van der Nest MA, Venter SNV, Wilken PM, Yandell M, Zipfel R, Wingfield MJ (2012) First fungal genome sequence from Africa: a preliminary analysis. South African Journal of Science. 108. doi: 10.4102/sajs.v108i1/2.537
My Publications
Maake MM, Beukes CW, van der Nest MA, Avontuur JR, Muema EK, Stepkowski T, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET. (2025) Argyrolobium legumes from an African centre of endemism associate with novel Bradyrhizobium species harbouring unique sets of symbiosis genes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 10.1016/j.ympev.2025.108471
Rouws L, Barauna A, Beukes C, Rouws JRC, de Faria SM, Gross E, dos Reis Junior FB, Simon MF, Maluk M, Odee DW, Fordeyn S, Kenicer G, Young JPW, Reis VM, Zilli J, James EK. (2024) Soil characteristics drive contrasting patterns of association between symbiotic rhizobia of endemic and widespread Mimosa species in Brazil. Applied Soil Ecology 10.1016/j.apsoil.2024.105741
Belles-Sancho P, Beukes C, James EK, Pessi G. (2023) Nitrogen-fixing symbiotic Paraburkholderia species: Current knowledge and future perspectives. Nitrogen 10.3390/nitrogen4010010
Maluk M, Giles M, Wardell GE, Akramin AT, Ferrando-Molina F, Murdoch A, Barros M, Beukes C, Vasconcelos M, Harrison E, Daniell TJ, Quilliam RS, Iannetta PPM, James EK. (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 10.3389/fagro.2023.1196873
Francina L. Bopape, Chrizelle W. Beukes, Kopotsa Katlego, Ahmed I. Hassen, Emma T. Steenkamp, Eastonce T. Gwata . (2022) Symbiotic Performance and Characterization of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) Rhizobia Occurring in South African Soils. Agriculture
Wanjofu EI, Venter SN, Beukes CW, Steenkamp ET, Gwata ET, Muema EK. (2022) Nodulation and Growth Promotion of Chickpea by Mesorhizobium Isolates from Diverse Sources. MDPI-Microorganisms
Mavima L, Beukes CW, Palmer M, De Meyer SE, James EK, Maluk M, Muasya MA, Avontuur JR, Chan WY, Venter SN, Steenkamp ET. (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 10.1016/j.syapm.2022.126316
