A phytase gene is overexpressed in root nodules cortex of Phaseolus vulgaris-rhizobia symbiosis under phosphorus deficiency

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for rhizobial symbioses to convert N-2 into NH4 usable for N nutrition in legumes and N cycle in ecosystems. This N-2 fixation process occurs in nodules with a high energy cost. Phytate is the major storage form of P and accounts for more than 50 % of the total P in seeds of cereals and legumes. The phytases, a group of enzymes widely distributed in plant and microorganisms, are able to hydrolyze a variety of inositol phosphates. Recently, phytase activity was discovered in nodules. However, the gene expression localization and its role in N-2-fixing nodules are still unknown. In this work, two recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), selected as contrasting for N-2 fixation under P deficiency, namely RILs 115 (P-efficient) and 147 (P-inefficient) were inoculated with Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899, and grown under hydroaeroponic conditions with sufficient versus deficient P supply. With in situ RT-PCR methodology, we found that phytase transcripts were particularly abundant in the nodule cortex and infected zone of both RILs. Under P deficiency, phytase transcripts were significantly more abundant for RIL115 than for RIL147, and more in the outer cortex than in the infected zone. Additionally, the high expression of phytase among nodule tissues for the P-deficient RIL115 was associated with an increase in phytase (33 %) and phosphatase (49 %) activities and efficiency in use of the rhizobial symbiosis (34 %). It is argued that phytase activity in nodules would contribute to the adaptation of the rhizobia-legume symbiosis to low-P environments.