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A protein complex required for polar growth of rhizobial infection threads

A protein complex required for polar growth of rhizobial infection threads

The work of LIPM researchers in the model legume M. truncatula in collaboration in collaboration with researchers from the John Innes Center (UK) and from the CAS-JIC Center of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Science (China) led to the publication in Nature Communications of an article characterizing a novel protein complex that is needed for polar growth of the infection threads and thus for the colonization of the nodules by the bacteria.

The colonization of many legumes by their rhizobial symbionts occurs through infection threads crossing the cells, which are initially formed in root hairs. The authors of this article show that a protein complex located notably at the tip of the growing thread is required for the polar growth of this infection compartment in the root hairs.

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This complex comprises the VAPYRIN and VAPYRIN-LIKE proteins, stabilized by an E3 ligase called LUMPY INFECTION (LIN), as well as a subunit of the exocyst complex (involved in the transport of vesicles). Thus, two symbiotic proteins, VAPYRIN and LIN, orchestrate the polar growth of rhizobial infection threads, in connection with the cell machinery for secretion and with the nucleus.

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Learn more:

Cheng-Wu Liu, Andrew Breakspear, Nicola Stacey, Kim Findlay, Jin Nakashima, Karunakaran Ramakrishnan, Miaoxia Liu, Fang Xie, Gabriella Endre, Fernanda de Carvalho-Niebel, Giles E.D. Oldroyd, Michael K. Udvardi, Joëlle Fournier, Jeremy D. Murray. A protein complex required for polar growth of rhizobial infection threads. Nature Communications (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10029-y www.nature.com/naturecommunications

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Modification date : 07 June 2023 | Publication date : 28 June 2019 | Redactor : Joëlle Fournier & Guillaume Cassiède-Berjon