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Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Identification of the Genes Involved in Stomatal Development via Epidermal Phenotype Scoring
Published on: January 20, 2023
Nodule development in Medicago truncatula is promoted by EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR-LIKE peptides
Mariel C Isidra-Arellano1, Miriam Bazzicalupo2, Judith Salas-Oropeza3
1Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK; Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Julius-von-Sachs-Platz 2, Würzburg 97082, Germany.
None:
Epidermal patterning factor-like (EPFL) peptides are regulators of stomatal development across land plants, yet their below-ground functions remain poorly understood. Here, we show that two EPFL family members from Medicago truncatula, MtEPFL9 and MtEPFL14, act as positive regulators of nodule organogenesis during nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. Rhizobia and purified Nod factors transcriptionally induced MtEPFL9 and MtEPFL14 genes in a common symbiosis-signaling-pathway-dependent manner. Exogenous application of synthetic MtEPFL9 and MtEPFL14 peptides promoted root development and root nodule formation by promoting cell division and growth during nodule primordium formation. Synthetic MtEPFL peptides partially restored nf-ya1 mutant nodulation defects and suppressed the nodule-to-root conversion phenotype in the noot1/noot2 mutant. Transcriptomic analyses revealed that MtEPFL9 and MtEPFL14 peptides act on rhizobia-induced programs associated with gibberellin, auxin, and cytokinin signaling. Together, our results identify MtEPFL9 and MtEPFL14 as regulators of meristematic activity and organ growth in nodules and lateral roots of Medicago truncatula and uncover previously unrecognized roles for EPFL peptides as host-derived signals promoting symbiotic organogenesis.
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