Journal
NEW PHYTOLOGIST
Volume 197, Issue 4, Pages 1250-1261Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/nph.12091
Keywords
defense-like reactions; insertion mutant; legume; nitrogen fixation; rhizobia; senescence; symbiosis; symbiosome
Categories
Funding
- Centre National de La Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) Blanc International [SVSE 6.2010.1 (LEGUMICS)]
- French Ministry of Research
- National Science Foundation [DBI-0703285]
- Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
- Direct For Biological Sciences
- Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems [1127155] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Medicago truncatula and Sinorhizobium meliloti form a symbiotic association resulting in the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules. Nodule cells contain large numbers of bacteroids which are differentiated, nitrogen-fixing forms of the symbiotic bacteria. In the nodules, symbiotic plant cells home and maintain hundreds of viable bacteria. In order to better understand the molecular mechanism sustaining the phenomenon, we searched for new plant genes required for effective symbiosis. We used a combination of forward and reverse genetics approaches to identify a gene required for nitrogen fixation, and we used cell and molecular biology to characterize the mutant phenotype and to gain an insight into gene function. The symbiotic gene DNF2 encodes a putative phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C-like protein. Nodules formed by the mutant contain a zone of infected cells reduced to a few cell layers. In this zone, bacteria do not differentiate properly into bacteroids. Furthermore, mutant nodules senesce rapidly and exhibit defense-like reactions. This atypical phenotype amongst Fix mutants unravels dnf2 as a new actor of bacteroid persistence inside symbiotic plant cells.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available