Legumes, such as peas, beans, and alfalfa, have evolved a remarkable ability to establish root nodule symbioses with nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria to fulfill their nitrogen needs. This partnership is characterized by a high degree of specificity, occurring both within and between host and bacterial species. Consequently, nodulation capacity and nitrogen-fixing efficiency vary significantly among different plant–bacteria pairs. The genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating symbiotic specificity are diverse, involving a wide array of host and bacterial genes and signals with various modes of action. Understanding the genetic basis of symbiotic specificity could enable the development of strategies to enhance nodulation capacity and nitrogen fixation efficiency. This knowledge will also help overcome the host range barrier, which is a critical step toward extending root nodule symbiosis to non-leguminous plants. In this review, we provide an update on our current understanding of the genetics and evolution of recognition specificity in root nodule symbioses, providing more comprehensive insights into the molecular signaling in plant–bacterial interactions.
The pathogenicity and antimicrobial properties of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are relatively well studied. However, less is known regarding the interactions of ENMs and agriculturally beneficial microorganisms that affect food security. Nanoceria (CeO2nanoparticles (NPs)), multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), and carbon black (CB) have been previously shown to inhibit symbiotic N2fixation in soybeans, but direct rhizobial susceptibility is uncertain. Here,
- PAR ID:
- 10456909
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Small
- Volume:
- 16
- Issue:
- 21
- ISSN:
- 1613-6810
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Summary Despite of important functions of strigolactones (SLs) and karrikins (KARs) in plant development, plant–parasite and plant–fungi interactions, their roles in soybean–rhizobia interaction remain elusive. SL/KAR signaling genes
GmMAX2a, GmD14s, andGmKAIs are activated by rhizobia infection. GmMAX2a restoredatmax2 root hair defects and soybean root hairs were changed inGmMAX2a overexpression (GmMAX2a ‐OE ) or knockdown (GmMAX2a ‐KD ) mutants.GmMAX2a ‐KD gave fewer, whereasGmMAX2a ‐OE produced more nodules than GUS hairy roots. Mutation ofGmMAX2a in itsKD orOE transgenic hairy roots affected the rhizobia infection‐induced increases in early nodulation gene expression. Both mutant hairy roots also displayed the altered auxin, jasmonate and abscisic acid levels, as further verified by transcriptomic analyses of their synthetic genes. Overexpression of an auxin synthetic geneGmYUC2a also affected SL and KAR signaling genes. GmMAX2a physically interacted with SL/KAR receptors GmD14s, GmKAIs, and GmD14Ls with different binding affinities, depending on variations in the critical amino acids, forming active D14/KAI‐SCFMAX2complexes. The knockdown mutant roots of the nodule‐specifically expressingGmKAI s andGmD14L s gave fewer nodules, with altered expression of several early nodulation genes. The expression levels ofGmKAI s, andGmD14L s were markedly changed inGmMAX2a mutant roots, so did their target repressor genesGmD53 s andGmSMAX1 s. Thus, SL and KAR signaling were involved in soybean–rhizobia interaction and nodulation partly through interactions with hormones, and this may explain the different effects of MXA2 orthologs on legume determinate and indeterminate nodulation. The study provides fresh insights into the roles of GmMAX2‐mediated SL/KAR signaling in soybean root hair and nodule formation. -
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Abstract Legume crops such as soybean obtain a large portion of their nitrogen nutrition through symbiotic nitrogen fixation by diazotrophic rhizobia bacteria in root nodules. However, nodule occupancy by low‐capacity nitrogen‐fixing rhizobia can lead to lower‐than‐optimal levels of nitrogen fixation. Seed/root coating with engineered materials such as graphene‐carrying biomolecules that may promote specific attraction/attachment of desirable bacterial strains is a potential strategy that can help overcome this rhizobia competition problem. As a first step towards this goal, we assessed the impact of graphene on soybean and
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