Reactive oxygen species (ROS) as early signals in root hair cells responding to rhizobial nodulation factors

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in supporting polar growth in pollen tubes, fucoid cells and root hair cells. However, there is limited evidence showing ROS changes during the earliest stages of the interaction between legume roots and rhizobia. We recently reported using Phaseolus vulgaris as a model system, the occurrence of a transient increase of ROS, within seconds, at the tip of actively growing root hair cells after treatment with Nod factors (NFs).(1) This transient response is NFs-specific, and clearly distinct from the ROS changes induced by a fungal elicitor, with which sustained increases in ROS signal, is observed. Since ROS levels are transiently elevated after NFs perception, we propose that this ROS response is specific of the symbiotic interaction. Furthermore, the observed ROS changes correlate spatially and temporarily with the reported transient increases in calcium levels suggesting key roles for calcium and ROS during the early NF perception.