Review
Plant Sciences
Nadiatul A. Mohd-Radzman, Colleen Drapek
Summary: Plant root architecture is developmentally plastic and forms dedicated cells and organs to host symbionts, such as nitrogen-fixing nodules and myconodules. These symbiotic associations provide different levels of compartmentalisation, allowing the plant to regulate symbiotic interactions. This review discusses the developmental strategy of symbiont compartmentalisation by the plant host and speculates on how spatial confinement mitigates risks associated with root symbiosis.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Timothy L. Haskett, Ponraj Paramasivan, Marta D. Mendes, Patrick Green, Barney A. Geddes, Hayley E. Knights, Beatriz Jorrin, Min-Hyung Ryu, Paul Brett, Christopher A. Voigt, Giles E. D. Oldroyd, Philip S. Poole
Summary: Engineering N-2-fixing symbioses between cereals and diazotrophic bacteria represents a promising strategy to sustainably deliver biologically fixed nitrogen in agriculture. The development of a homozygous rhizopine producing barley line and a hybrid rhizopine uptake system significantly improved the sensitivity for rhizopine perception in the bacterium Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571. This work represents a key milestone toward the development of a synthetic plant-controlled symbiosis.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lucas G. Castellani, Abril Luchetti, Juliet F. Nilsson, Julieta Perez-Gimenez, Caren Wegener, Andreas Schluter, Alfred Puhler, Antonio Lagares, Susana Brom, Mariano Pistorio, Karsten Niehaus, Gonzalo A. Torres Tejerizo
Summary: Biological nitrogen fixation is a major source of nitrogen into the biosphere, achieved through symbiosis between rhizobia and leguminous plants. Exopolysaccharides play a crucial role in establishing effective symbiosis between alfalfa and Ensifer meliloti. Rhizobium favelukesii LPU83 can infect alfalfa but lacks efficient nitrogen fixation, with different EPS biosynthesis gene organization compared to E. meliloti.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sophie de Vries, Cornelia Herrfurth, Fay-Wei Li, Ivo Feussner, Jan de Vries
Summary: Despite its small size, the water fern Azolla plays a significant role in plant symbioses. It harbors nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria in specialized leaf cavities. Unlike other plant-cyanobiont symbioses, Azolla's symbiosis is permanent and inherited during reproduction. The presence of the plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) in Azolla suggests its involvement in the communication between the two partners.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Barney A. Geddes, Jason V. S. Kearsley, Jiarui Huang, Maryam Zamani, Zahed Muhammed, Leah Sather, Aakanx K. Panchal, George C. diCenzo, Turlough M. Finan
Summary: The symbiosis between leguminous plants and rhizobia in root nodules plays a key role in sustainable agricultural systems. Research has identified a minimal bacterial gene complement necessary for successful symbiosis and nitrogen fixation, paving the way for engineering symbiosis in nonlegume crops. By reorganizing the minimal symbiotic genes into three modules, researchers have provided a platform for expanding symbiosis to other plant partners and identifying genetic components that modulate competitiveness for nodulation and the effectiveness of rhizobia-plant symbioses.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinqing Zheng, Chenying Wang, Huaxia Sheng, Gaofeng Niu, Xu Dong, Lingling Yuan, Tuo Shi
Summary: This study investigated the importance of symbiotic metabolite supply to scleractinian corals and the effects of ocean acidification on coral calcification. The findings suggest that while there were no significant differences in carbon assimilation among different pH treatments, nitrogen assimilation significantly decreased at pH 7.4. This decreased nitrogen assimilation could lead to reduced coral resilience to stressful events, highlighting the trade-off between coral hosts and symbionts in response to future climate change.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
W. F. Chen, E. T. Wang, Z. J. Ji, J. J. Zhang
Summary: Symbiotic rhizobia convert dinitrogen gas into ammonia for the host plant. Specificity exists between rhizobia and leguminous species. Nodulation specificity and efficiency are mainly determined by soil conditions and host plants.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Diana Hernandez-Oaxaca, Karen L. Claro-Mendoza, Marco A. Rogel, Monica Rosenblueth, Jorge A. Velasco-Trejo, Enrique Alarcon-Gutierrez, Jose Antonio Garcia-Perez, Julio Martinez-Romero, Euan K. James, Esperanza Martinez-Romero
Summary: This study identified diverse Bradyrhizobium nodulating symbionts from native American trees and UK botanical garden soil. Whole genome analysis revealed five novel Bradyrhizobium genomospecies from Mexican trees and identified the species of UK isolates. Despite genetic distances and different hosts, Inga vera and Lysiloma symbionts shared a common set of nod genes, indicating the production of specific lipochitooligosaccharides. Some isolates showed potential as plant inoculants.
Article
Plant Sciences
Joaquin Clua, Carolina Ripodas, Carla Roda, Marina E. Battaglia, Maria Eugenia Zanetti, Flavio Antonio Blanco
Summary: NIPK is a new component associated with NF-Y transcriptional regulators, influencing infection and nodule organogenesis, as well as activation of cell cycle and early symbiotic genes.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Marta Ballesteros-Gutierrez, Marta Albareda, Coral Barbas, Angeles Lopez-Gonzalvez, Michael F. Dunn, Jose M. Palacios
Summary: Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae (Rlv) UPM791 effectively nodulates pea and lentil, and a host-dependent protein called C189 was identified to have diaminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (DABA-AT) activity. The dat gene was found to be strongly induced in pea nodules, but not in lentil. Mutants defective in dat showed impaired symbiotic performance with pea plants, while no significant differences were observed in symbiosis with lentil. Comparative metabolomic analysis revealed differences in pea bacteroids, but not in lentil. The presence of L-homoserine and the absence of 2,4-diaminobutyrate (DABA) in pea nodules indicate that the Dat enzyme is involved in the adaptation mechanism of Rlv UPM791 to a homoserine-rich environment.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rafael E. Venado, Lucas E. Wange, Defeng Shen, Fabienne Pinnau, Tonni Grube Andersen, Wolfgang Enard, Macarena Marin
Summary: This study provides genetic evidence for the formation of the nodule oxygen diffusion barrier in legumes, which is crucial for nitrogen fixation in root nodules.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Yanlin Ma, Rujin Chen
Summary: Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential mineral elements for plant growth and development, particularly in the symbiotic N fixation of legumes. Plants have evolved complex signaling networks to respond to phosphates and nitrates, optimizing symbiotic N fixation. Research in model organisms has provided insight into the signaling and transport processes of N and P during symbiosis.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Ulrike Mathesius
Summary: This article reviews the evolutionary journey of nitrogen-fixing symbiosis in legumes and investigates the unique characteristics of legumes that may have contributed to their success. The article poses four questions to explore the impact of these characteristics on the success of legumes and suggests potential insights for future crop improvements.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Malinda S. Thilakarathna, Kevin R. Cope
Summary: Split-root assays are widely used in studies focusing on the regulatory mechanisms in legume-rhizobia symbioses, allowing separate treatment of divided root sections to monitor local and systemic plant responses. Various techniques can be used to establish split-root assemblies, mainly used in legume studies to understand mechanisms related to root nitrogen rhizodeposition, belowground nitrogen transfer, and nodulation regulation.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Sheng Liu, Jian Jiao, Chang-Fu Tian
Summary: There are variations in symbiotic performance of rhizobial strains associated with the same legume host in agriculture due to polymorphisms of symbiosis genes and unexplored variations in integration efficiency of symbiotic function. Experimental evolution and reverse genetic studies suggest that horizontal gene transfer of key symbiosis genes is necessary but insufficient for bacteria to establish an effective symbiosis. Further adaptive evolution and integration of accessory genes with the core network optimize symbiotic efficiency in various ecosystems and offer insights to develop elite rhizobial inoculants.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Corinna Breusing, Arne Biastoch, Annika Drews, Anna Metaxas, Didier Jollivet, Robert C. Vrijenhoek, Till Bayer, Frank Melzner, Lizbeth Sayavedra, Jillian M. Petersen, Nicole Dubilier, Markus B. Schilhabel, Philip Rosenstiel, Thorsten B. H. Reusch
Article
Ecology
Ruby Ponnudurai, Manuel Kleiner, Lizbeth Sayavedra, Jillian M. Petersen, Martin Moche, Andreas Otto, Doerte Becher, Takeshi Takeuchi, Noriyuki Satoh, Nicole Dubilier, Thomas Schweder, Stephanie Markert
Article
Microbiology
Jillian M. Petersen, Anna Kemper, Harald Gruber-Vodicka, Ulisse Cardini, Matthijs van der Geest, Manuel Kleiner, Silvia Bulgheresi, Marc Mussmann, Craig Herbold, Brandon K. B. Seah, Chakkiath Paul Antony, Dan Liu, Alexandra Belitz, Miriam Weber
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Microbiology
Jillian M. Petersen, Jay Osvatic
Article
Ecology
Ulisse Cardini, Marco Bartoli, Sebastian Lucker, Maria Mooshammer, Julia Polzin, Raymond W. Lee, Vesna Micic, Thilo Hofmann, Miriam Weber, Jillian M. Petersen
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Benedict Yuen, Julia Polzin, Jillian M. Petersen
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Laetitia G. E. Wilkins, Matthieu Leray, Aaron O'Dea, Benedict Yuen, Raquel S. Peixoto, Tiago J. Pereira, Holly M. Bik, David A. Coil, J. Emmett Duffy, Edward Allen Herre, Harilaos A. Lessios, Noelle M. Lucey, Luis C. Mejia, Douglas B. Rasher, Koty H. Sharp, Emilia M. Sogin, Robert W. Thacker, Rebecca Vega Thurber, William T. Wcislo, Elizabeth G. Wilbanks, Jonathan A. Eisen
Article
Microbiology
Rebecca Ansorge, Stefano Romano, Lizbeth Sayavedra, Miguel Angel Gonzalez Porras, Anne Kupczok, Halina E. Tegetmeyer, Nicole Dubilier, Jillian Petersen
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jay T. Osvatic, Laetitia G. E. Wilkins, Lukas Leibrecht, Matthieu Leray, Sarah Zauner, Julia Polzin, Yolanda Camacho, Olivier Gros, Jan A. van Gils, Jonathan A. Eisen, Jillian M. Petersen, Benedict Yuen
Summary: In the ocean, the Lucinidae family of marine bivalves is the most species-rich and widely distributed, hosting autotrophic bacterial endosymbionts. Metagenomics research revealed a cosmopolitan symbiont species associated with multiple lucinid host species, challenging our understanding of symbiont dispersal and location-specific colonization. This discovery highlights the importance of host and symbiont flexibility in the ecological and evolutionary success of the lucinid symbiosis.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthieu Leray, Laetitia G. E. Wilkins, Amy Apprill, Holly M. Bik, Friederike Clever, Sean R. Connolly, Marina E. De Leon, J. Emmett Duffy, Leila Ezzat, Sarah Gignoux-Wolfsohn, Edward Allen Herre, Jonathan Z. Kaye, David I. Kline, Jordan G. Kueneman, Melissa K. McCormick, W. Owen McMillan, Aaron O'Dea, Tiago J. Pereira, Jillian M. Petersen, Daniel F. Petticord, Mark E. Torchin, Rebecca Vega Thurber, Elin Videvall, William T. Wcislo, Benedict Yuen, Jonathan A. Eisen
Summary: The microbiome of marine multicellular organisms plays a significant role in influencing their host's physiological capacities. Understanding the dynamics of interactions between hosts and microbial genetic variation is crucial for marine ecosystems to adapt to environmental changes. Long-term, multi-disciplinary research is needed to advance our understanding of how host-associated microbes shape marine hosts' responses to environmental changes.
Article
Ecology
Tim Oortwijn, Jimmy de Fouw, Jillian M. Petersen, Jan A. van Gils
Summary: A forager's energy intake rate is limited by handling time, encounter rate, digestion rate, and the ability to process toxic compounds. This study investigated the effect of sulfur concentrations on the intake rates of red knots and found that lower sulfur levels resulted in higher consumption rates.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
John D. Taylor, Emily A. Glover, Benedict Yuen, Suzanne T. Williams
Summary: New molecular phylogenetic analyses of the Lucinidae family were carried out using 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and cytochrome b genes, including genera and species not previously examined. The study identified five major subfamilies: Pegophyseminae, Myrteinae, Leucosphaerinae, Codakiinae, and Lucininae, as well as two single species subfamilies: Fimbriinae and Monitilorinae. The position of Myrteinae was found to be unstable in relation to the other subfamilies, and the classification of Myrteinae was inconclusive due to molecular and morphological ambiguities. The study also revealed new connections within the Lucininae subfamily and provided insights into the biogeography and evolutionary history of Lucinidae.
JOURNAL OF MOLLUSCAN STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jay T. Osvatic, Benedict Yuen, Martin Kunert, Laetitia Wilkins, Bela Hausmann, Peter Girguis, Kennet Lundin, John Taylor, Guillaume Jospin, Jillian M. Petersen
Summary: Chemosynthetic symbioses between bacteria and invertebrates are found worldwide and are important for understanding the evolutionary transitions between shallow and deep waters. The Lucinidae family, with representatives in both shallow and deep seas, has colonized the deep sea independently, allowing for the study of microbial symbionts' role in adaptation. Metagenomic analyses of deep-water lucinid species revealed symbiont switching near deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps, highlighting the importance of symbiont metabolic capabilities in the adaptation to challenging deep-sea habitats.