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The proteome of the model symbiotic bacterium, Sinorhizobium meliloti was examined to determine the enzymatic reactions and cell processes that occur when S. meliloti occupies the root nodules of Medicago truncatula and Melilotus alba. The proteomes of the nodule bacteria were compared to that of S. meliloti grown under laboratory cultured conditions as an additional control. All the detectable protein spots on the two‐dimensional (2‐D) gels between pH 4–7 were analyzed. In total, the identity of proteins in 1545 spots from 2‐D gels was determined using peptide mass fingerprinting. There were clear differences in the proteome of nodule bacteria and cultured bacteria and putative nodule‐specific and nodule suppressed proteins were identified. The data were analyzed using metabolic pathway prediction programs and used to review the biochemical and genetic studies that had been done previously on S …