SummaryThe plant plasma membrane-localized NADPH oxidases, known as respiratory burst oxidase homologues (RBOHs), appear to play crucial roles in plant growth and development. They are involved in important processes, such as root hair growth, plant defence reactions and abscisic acid signalling.Using sequence similarity searches, we identified seven putative RBOH-encoding genes in the Medicago truncatula genome. A phylogenetic reconstruction showed that Rboh gene duplications occurred in legume species. We analysed the expression of these MtRboh genes in different M. truncatula tissues: one of them, MtRbohA, was significantly up-regulated in Sinorhizobium meliloti-induced symbiotic nodules.MtRbohA expression appeared to be restricted to the nitrogen-fixing zone of the functional nodule. Moreover, using S. meliloti bacA and nifH mutants unable to form efficient nodules, a strong link between nodule nitrogen fixation and MtRbohA up-regulation was shown. MtRbohA expression was largely enhanced under hypoxic conditions. Specific RNA interference for MtRbohA provoked a decrease in the nodule nitrogen fixation activity and the modulation of genes encoding the microsymbiont nitrogenase.These results suggest that hypoxia, prevailing in the nodule-fixing zone, may drive the stimulation of MtRbohA expression, which would, in turn, lead to the regulation of nodule functioning.
SummaryIron is an important nutrient in N 2 -®xing legume root nodules. Iron supplied to the nodule is used by the plant for the synthesis of leghemoglobin, while in the bacteroid fraction, it is used as an essential cofactor for the bacterial N 2 -®xing enzyme, nitrogenase, and iron-containing proteins of the electron transport chain. The supply of iron to the bacteroids requires initial transport across the plant-derived peribacteroid membrane, which physically separates bacteroids from the infected plant cell cytosol. In this study, we have identi®ed Glycine max divalent metal transporter 1 (GmDmt1), a soybean homologue of the NRAMP/Dmt1 family of divalent metal ion transporters. GmDmt1 shows enhanced expression in soybean root nodules and is most highly expressed at the onset of nitrogen ®xation in developing nodules. Antibodies raised against a partial fragment of GmDmt1 con®rmed its presence on the peribacteroid membrane (PBM) of soybean root nodules. GmDmt1 was able to both rescue growth and enhance 55 Fe(II) uptake in the ferrous iron transport de®cient yeast strain (fet3fet4). The results indicate that GmDmt1 is a nodule-enhanced transporter capable of ferrous iron transport across the PBM of soybean root nodules. Its role in nodule iron homeostasis to support bacterial nitrogen ®xation is discussed.
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