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
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)
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)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jillian M. Petersen, Benedict Yuen
Summary: Nitrogen fixation is a widespread metabolic trait in certain types of microorganisms called diazotrophs. Various organisms have evolved symbioses with diverse diazotrophic bacteria, with enormous economic and ecological benefits. Chemosynthetic nitrogen-fixing symbionts, recently discovered in marine clams, play a crucial role in providing nitrogen in symbiotic relationships.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Timothy L. Haskett, Hayley E. Knights, Beatriz Jorrin, Marta D. Mendes, Philip S. Poole
Summary: Utilizing a modified in situ acetylene reduction assay (ARA) with barley as the host, nitrogenase activity in diazotrophic bacteria can be rapidly and reliably assessed, aiding in the identification of high-quality plant-associative diazotrophs.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(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
Microbiology
Alexandra J. Weisberg, Arafat Rahman, Dakota Backus, Parinita Tyavanagimatt, Jeff H. Chang, Joel L. Sachs
Summary: Genetic variation in symbiotic nitrogen fixation is maintained through a modular system that allows for flexibility and reshuffling of genes. This results in variation in the services provided by symbionts and can lead to the evolution of uncooperative genotypes. However, the overall symbiosis between legume hosts and Bradyrhizobium bacteria is evolutionarily stable.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Daniel A. Bastias, Pedro E. Gundel
Summary: This study proposes a mechanism for the transformation of plant-fungal endophyte symbiosis under stress, suggesting that plant physiological responses can affect the outcome of the symbiotic relationship. Additionally, it suggests that endophytes may protect the symbiosis by inducing plant defense hormone responses and antioxidants.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sergio M. de Faria, Jens J. Ringelberg, Eduardo Gross, Erik J. M. Koenen, Domingos Cardoso, George K. D. Ametsitsi, John Akomatey, Marta Maluk, Nisha Tak, Hukam S. Gehlot, Kathryn M. Wright, Neung Teaumroong, Pongpan Songwattana, Haroldo C. de Lima, Yves Prin, Charles E. Zartmann, Janet Sprent, Julie Ardley, Colin E. Hughes, Euan K. James
Summary: Nitrogen-fixing symbiosis is globally important, but the evolutionary history of nodulation is still debated. Recent evidence suggests a single origin of nodulation followed by massive parallel losses. Nodulation is mainly restricted to the subfamilies Papilionoideae and Caesalpinioideae within legumes, with the latter showing more stable retention of nodulation. In the subfamily Caesalpinioideae, two types of nodule anatomy were characterized: fixation thread nodules (FTs) and symbiosomes (SYMs). Using a phylogenomic tree, it was found that losses of nodulation are more common in lineages with FTs. The evolution of symbiosomes allows for a more intimate and enduring symbiosis, resulting in greater stability of nodulation in this species-rich clade of pantropical legumes.
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
Ecology
Fabricio Cassan, Gaston Lopez, Sofia Nievas, Anahi Coniglio, Daniela Torres, Florencia Donadio, Romina Molina, Veronica Mora
Summary: Azospirillum is a successful genus of plant growth-promoting bacteria and a study model for plant-bacteria interactions. A wide range of topics have been discussed in publications over the past four decades, with researchers analyzing details about the work done with Azospirillum since its discovery in 1925. This has led to a linear increase in the number of published works, particularly focusing on the mechanisms involved in promoting growth in various plant species.
Article
Ecology
Rocky Putra, Rebecca K. Vandegeer, Shawan Karan, Jeff R. Powell, Susan E. Hartley, Scott N. Johnson
Summary: Two legume species respond differently to silicon, with significant effects on their growth and nitrogen fixation, influenced by plant genotype and symbiosis.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mingkee Achom, Proyash Roy, Beatriz Lagunas, Emma Picot, Luke Richards, Roxanna Bonyadi-Pour, Alonso J. Pardal, Laura Baxter, Bethany L. Richmond, Nadine Aschauer, Eleanor M. Fletcher, Monique Rowson, Joseph Blackwell, Charlotte Rich-Griffin, Kirankumar S. Mysore, Jiangqi Wen, Sascha Ott, Isabelle A. Carre, Miriam L. Gifford
Summary: A nodule circadian clock coordinates metabolic and regulatory activity during symbiosis by involving the gene Late Elongated Hypocotyl and rhythmic expression of nodule-specific cysteine-rich peptides. The rhythmic expression of these peptides may play a vital role in temporal coordination between bacterial activity and the rhythms of the plant host.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(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)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Daniel A. Bastias, Ernesto Gianoli, Pedro E. Gundel
Summary: The association of plants with Epichloe fungal endophytes may eliminate the trade-off between growth and defence functions in plants by stimulating plant growth hormones and producing antiherbivore alkaloids. Research supports that enhanced plant resistance promoted by endophytes does not compromise plant growth, discussing the ecological benefits of this lack of trade-off.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fabian Rabe von Pappenheim, Marie Wensien, Jin Ye, Jon Uranga, Iker Irisarri, Jan de Vries, Lisa-Marie Funk, Ricardo A. Mata, Kai Tittmann
Summary: This study reveals the presence of a lysine-cysteine redox switch in various proteins across different domains of life. These switches play important roles in enzyme catalysis and substrate binding in many proteins, linking lysine chemistry and redox biology.
NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Janine M. R. Fuerst-Jansen, Sophie de Vries, Maike Lorenz, Klaus von Schwartzenberg, John M. Archibald, Jan de Vries
Summary: The research revealed that shifting the Zygnematophyceae algae from solid substrate to liquid growth conditions resulted in changes in core metabolism and photosynthesis, impacting photophysiology. Candidate genes playing a role in the pronounced physiological changes of the algae after submergence were pinpointed, showing the importance of photophysiological readjustment during the transition between terrestrial and aquatic habitats for filamentous Zygnematophyceae.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Janine M. R. Fuerst-Jansen, Sophie de Vries, Iker Irisarri
Review
Cell Biology
Tim P. Rieseberg, Armin Dadras, Janine M. R. Fuerst-Jansen, Amra Dhabalia Ashok, Tatyana Darienko, Sophie de Vries, Iker Irisarri, Jan de Vries
Summary: Land plants have specialized metabolic pathways that produce a wide range of compounds with diverse functions. These compounds govern the growth, development, and physiology of land plants, and may have contributed to their success. Interestingly, algal relatives of land plants also possess similar specialized metabolic pathways. This study summarizes the pathways that can be traced back to early plants before they colonized land.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Richard M. McCourt, Louise A. Lewis, Paul K. Strother, Charles F. Delwiche, Norman J. Wickett, Jan de Vries, John L. Bowman
Summary: Green plants, including green algae and land plants, successfully evolved from aquatic to terrestrial environments multiple times throughout history. This transition allowed for the colonization of various drier habitats on Earth, leading to a diverse and dominant land plant ecosystem for the past 500 million years. This review examines the process of greening the land from different perspectives and highlights the gaps in our understanding of this important event in the evolution of life on Earth.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Armin Dadras, Tim P. Rieseberg, Jaccoline M. S. Zegers, Janine M. R. Fuerst-Jansen, Iker Irisarri, Jan de Vries, Sophie de Vries
Summary: The evolution of land plants' hallmark traits is supported by phytochemical innovations resulting from neutral evolution, drift, and selection. The evolutionary history of specialized metabolism in the context of plant terrestrialization is still being uncovered. Studying non-model organisms allows us to appreciate the variation of metabolic networks across the green lineage and understand the effects of environmental challenges on lineage-specific specialized metabolism.
PHYTOCHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Kim-Kristine Mueller, Lukas Pfeifer, Lina Schuldt, Peter Szovenyi, Sophie de Vries, Jan de Vries, Kim L. Johnson, Birgit Classen
Summary: The composition of plant cell walls has changed significantly during the evolution of tracheophytes, and the cell wall of ferns, as the sister lineage to seed plants, is crucial for understanding evolutionary changes and innovations in seed plants. The study characterizes the arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) from fern genera Azolla, Salvinia, and Ceratopteris and reveals differences in AGP composition between ferns and seed plants. The findings also highlight the diversity of AGPs across different plant lineages and shed light on the evolution of tracheophytes' cell walls.
Article
Plant Sciences
Tim P. Rieseberg, Armin Dadras, Luisa I. N. Bergschmidt, Maaike J. Bierenbroodspot, Janine M. R. Fuerst-Jansen, Iker Irisarri, Sophie de Vries, Tatyana Darienko, Jan de Vries
Summary: Water scarcity is a significant stressor on land, and land plants have developed avoidance and tolerance mechanisms to cope with this challenge. The Zygnematophyceae, which are closely related to land plants, exhibit similar gene expression patterns and photobiological adjustments despite their ecological differences. This study identifies differences in drought resilience between Zygnema circumcarinatum and Mesotaenium endlicherianum, shedding light on their adaptive strategies.
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
(2023)
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)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Kathrin Theissinger, Carlos Fernandes, Giulio Formenti, Iliana Bista, Paul R. Berg, Christoph Bleidorn, Aureliano Bombarely, Angelica Crottini, Guido R. Gallo, Jose A. Godoy, Sissel Jentoft, Joanna Malukiewicz, Alice Mouton, Rebekah A. Oomen, Sadye Paez, Per J. Palsboll, Christophe Pampoulie, Maria J. Ruiz-Lopez, Simona Secomandi, Hannes Svardal, Constantina Theofanopoulou, Jan de Vries, Ann-Marie Waldvogel, Guojie Zhang, Erich D. Jarvis, Miklos Balint, Claudio Ciofi, Robert M. Waterhouse, Camila J. Mazzoni, Jacob Hoglund
Summary: The availability of public genomic resources can greatly assist biodiversity assessment, conservation, and restoration efforts. Reference genomes play a key role in facilitating biodiversity research and conservation. Integrating the use of reference genomes as a best practice in conservation genomics is essential.
TRENDS IN GENETICS
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Tim P. Rieseberg, Armin Dadras, Janine M. R. Furst-Jansen, Amra Dhabalia Ashok, Tatyana Darienko, Sophie De Vries, Iker Irisarri, Jan De Vries
Summary: Land plants have specialized metabolic pathways that produce compounds crucial for their growth, development, and response to the environment. Surprisingly, these specialized metabolites can also be found in the algal relatives of land plants. This suggests that specialized metabolites may have played a role in the success of land plants.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)