Light: a crucial factor for rhizobium-induced root nodulation.
Md Mahadi Hasan1, Francisco J Corpas2, Xiang-Wen Fang1
1State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, China.
Trends in Plant Science
|July 15, 2022
Summary
A novel light-triggered signal from soybean shoots to roots controls nodule formation. This discovery advances understanding of plant-rhizobium symbiosis and carbon-nitrogen balance.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Molecular signaling
- Agricultural science
Background:
- Plant-microbe interactions are crucial for nutrient acquisition.
- Soybean (Glycine max) forms symbiotic relationships with rhizobia in root nodules.
- Optimizing symbiosis impacts crop yield and nitrogen fixation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the signaling pathway regulating root nodule formation in soybean.
- To identify the trigger and direction of the signal involved in symbiosis induction.
Main Methods:
- Physiological experiments tracking signal movement in soybean plants.
- Analysis of light-dependent responses in root nodule development.
Main Results:
- Root nodule formation is initiated by a signal originating from the upper plant parts.
- This signal is triggered by light and translocates to the roots.
- Identified a novel light-mediated signaling pathway regulating symbiosis.
Conclusions:
- Light plays a direct role in regulating symbiotic nodule formation via a mobile signal.
- This finding provides new targets for enhancing plant-microbe symbiosis.
- Potential to optimize carbon-nitrogen balance in leguminous crops.
Related Concept Videos
02:11The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition
40.4K
Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
40.4K
01:22Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation
94
Nitrogen is an essential element in biological systems, forming a crucial component of proteins, nucleic acids, and other cellular constituents. Many bacteria and archaea acquire nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO₃⁻) or ammonia (NH₃), which are then assimilated into biomolecules through specific enzymatic pathways.Assimilatory Nitrate ReductionWhen nitrate enters the cell, it undergoes a two-step reduction process known as assimilatory nitrate reduction. Initially, the enzyme...
94
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
5.7K
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
5.7K
02:16Light Acquisition
8.6K
In order to produce glucose, plants need to capture sufficient light energy. Many modern plants have evolved leaves specialized for light acquisition. Leaves can be only millimeters in width or tens of meters wide, depending on the environment. Due to competition for sunlight, evolution has driven the evolution of increasingly larger leaves and taller plants, to avoid shading by their neighbors with contaminant elaboration of root architecture and mechanisms to transport water and nutrients.
8.6K
02:00Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light
23.8K
Light plays a significant role in regulating the growth and development of plants. In addition to providing energy for photosynthesis, light provides other important cues to regulate a range of developmental and physiological responses in plants.
23.8K
02:35Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
21.0K
Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the...
21.0K