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Title: Medicago truncatula Ferroportin2 mediates iron import into nodule symbiosomes
Summary

Iron is an essential cofactor for symbiotic nitrogen fixation, required by many of the enzymes involved, including signal transduction proteins, O2homeostasis systems, and nitrogenase itself. Consequently, host plants have developed a transport network to deliver essential iron to nitrogen‐fixing nodule cells.

Ferroportin family members in model legumeMedicago truncatulawere identified and their expression was determined. Yeast complementation assays, immunolocalization, characterization of atnt1insertional mutant line, and synchrotron‐based X‐ray fluorescence assays were carried out in the nodule‐specificM. truncatulaferroportin

Medicago truncatulanodule‐specific geneFerroportin2(MtFPN2) is an iron‐efflux protein. MtFPN2 is located in intracellular membranes in the nodule vasculature and in inner nodule tissues, as well as in the symbiosome membranes in the interzone and early‐fixation zone of the nodules. Loss‐of‐function ofMtFPN2alters iron distribution and speciation in nodules, reducing nitrogenase activity and biomass production. Using promoters with different tissular activity to driveMtFPN2expression inMtFPN2mutants, we determined that expression in the inner nodule tissues is sufficient to restore the phenotype, while confiningMtFPN2expression to the vasculature did not improve the mutant phenotype.

These data indicate that MtFPN2 plays a primary role in iron delivery to nitrogen‐fixing bacteroids inM. truncatulanodules.

 
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NSF-PAR ID:
10452856
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  
Publisher / Repository:
Wiley-Blackwell
Date Published:
Journal Name:
New Phytologist
Volume:
228
Issue:
1
ISSN:
0028-646X
Page Range / eLocation ID:
p. 194-209
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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