How Many Peas in a Pod? Legume Genes Responsible for Mutualistic Symbioses Underground
Open Access
- 21 July 2010
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Plant and Cell Physiology
- Vol. 51 (9), 1381-1397
- https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcq107
Abstract
The nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between legume plants and Rhizobium bacteria is the most prominent plant–microbe endosymbiotic system and, together with mycorrhizal fungi, has critical importance in agriculture. The introduction of two model legume species, Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula, has enabled us to identify a number of host legume genes required for symbiosis. A total of 26 genes have so far been cloned from various symbiotic mutants of these model legumes, which are involved in recognition of rhizobial nodulation signals, early symbiotic signaling cascades, infection and nodulation processes, and regulation of nitrogen fixation. These accomplishments during the past decade provide important clues to understanding not only the molecular mechanisms underlying plant–microbe endosymbiotic associations but also the evolutionary aspects of nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between legume plants and Rhizobium bacteria. In this review we survey recent progress in molecular genetic studies using these model legumes.Keywords
This publication has 125 references indexed in Scilit:
- The molecular network governing nodule organogenesis and infection in the model legume Lotus japonicusNature Communications, 2010
- A remorin protein interacts with symbiotic receptors and regulates bacterial infectionProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2010
- Legumes regulate Rhizobium bacteroid development and persistence by the supply of branched-chain amino acidsProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2009
- CYCLOPS, a mediator of symbiotic intracellular accommodationProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2008
- The RPG gene of Medicago truncatula controls Rhizobium -directed polar growth during infectionProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2008
- Differential and chaotic calcium signatures in the symbiosis signaling pathway of legumesProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2008
- CERK1, a LysM receptor kinase, is essential for chitin elicitor signaling in ArabidopsisProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2007
- LysM domains mediate lipochitin–oligosaccharide recognition and Nfr genes extend the symbiotic host rangeThe EMBO Journal, 2007
- Medicago LYK3, an Entry Receptor in Rhizobial Nodulation Factor SignalingPlant Physiology, 2007
- A Novel Ankyrin-Repeat Membrane Protein, IGN1, Is Required for Persistence of Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiosis in Root Nodules of Lotus japonicusPlant Physiology, 2007