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Updated: Feb 27, 2026

Plant Promoter Analysis: Identification and Characterization of Root Nodule Specific Promoter in the Common Bean
Published on: December 23, 2017
Nitrate transporters: an overview in legumes
Anthoni Pellizzaro1, Bénédicte Alibert1, Elisabeth Planchet1
1IRHS, Agrocampus Ouest, INRA, Université d'Angers, SFR 4207 QUASAV, 42 rue Georges Morel, 49071, Beaucouzé Cedex, France.
Main Conclusion:
The nitrate transporters, belonging to NPF and NRT2 families, play critical roles in nitrate signaling, root growth and nodule development in legumes. Nitrate plays an essential role during plant development as nutrient and also as signal molecule, in both cases working via the activity of nitrate transporters. To date, few studies on NRT2 or NPF nitrate transporters in legumes have been reported, and most of those concern Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula. A molecular characterization led to the identification of 4 putative LjNRT2 and 37 putative LjNPF gene sequences in L. japonicus. In M. truncatula, the NRT2 family is composed of 3 putative members. Using the new genome annotation of M. truncatula (Mt4.0), we identified, for this review, 97 putative MtNPF sequences, including 32 new sequences relative to previous studies. Functional characterization has been published for only two MtNPF genes, encoding nitrate transporters of M. truncatula. Both transporters have a role in root system development via abscisic acid signaling: MtNPF6.8 acts as a nitrate sensor during the cell elongation of the primary root, while MtNPF1.7 contributes to the cellular organization of the root tip and nodule formation. An in silico expression study of MtNPF genes confirmed that NPF genes are expressed in nodules, as previously shown for L. japonicus, suggesting a role for the corresponding proteins in nitrate transport, or signal perception in nodules. This review summarizes our knowledge of legume nitrate transporters and discusses new roles for these proteins based on recent discoveries.
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