CLE peptides control Medicago truncatula nodulation locally and systemically
Virginie Mortier1, Griet Den Herder, Ryan Whitford
1Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium.
Plant Physiology
|March 30, 2010
Summary
Medicago truncatula CLAVATA3/embryo-surrounding region (CLE) peptides, MtCLE12 and MtCLE13, regulate nodule development and plant growth. Their expression impacts nodulation and involves long-distance signaling, affecting plant architecture.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Plant development
- Symbiotic interactions
Background:
- CLAVATA3/embryo-surrounding region (CLE) peptides are crucial regulators of plant development, balancing cell proliferation and differentiation.
- Nodule development in legumes is a complex process involving precise control of cell division and differentiation.
- Autoregulation of nodulation (AON) is a systemic mechanism controlling the symbiotic relationship between legumes and rhizobia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of CLE peptides in indeterminate nodule development in Medicago truncatula.
- To identify and characterize specific MtCLE genes involved in nodulation and their expression patterns.
- To elucidate the function of MtCLE12 and MtCLE13 in nodulation and their interaction with the AON pathway.
Main Methods:
- Genome-wide identification of MtCLE peptide genes in Medicago truncatula.
- Analysis of MtCLE12 and MtCLE13 expression patterns during nodule development using quantitative PCR.
- Functional analysis through ectopic expression of MtCLE12 and MtCLE13 in transgenic roots and analysis in sunn-1 mutant background.
Main Results:
- Identified 25 MtCLE peptide genes, with MtCLE12 and MtCLE13 showing nodulation-related expression patterns.
- MtCLE13 exhibited an early, gradient-like expression during nodule initiation, while both genes were expressed in developing and mature nodules.
- Ectopic expression of MtCLE12/MtCLE13 in transgenic roots abolished nodulation via signal transduction and induced long-distance systemic effects on plant architecture, such as petiole elongation.
Conclusions:
- MtCLE12 and MtCLE13 play significant roles in regulating indeterminate nodule development in Medicago truncatula.
- CLE signaling is involved in the autoregulation of nodulation, potentially through long-distance signaling pathways.
- These findings suggest multifaceted roles for CLE peptides in plant development, extending beyond nodulation to influence overall plant architecture.
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