SHR5: a novel plant receptor kinase involved in plant-N2-fixing endophytic bacteria association

Endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria have been isolated from graminaceous plants such as maize, rice, and sugarcane. They are thought to promote plant growth, not only by fixing nitrogen, but also by the production of plant hormones. The molecular mechanisms involved in this interaction are not yet clear. In this work, the identification of a receptor-like kinase (RLK), named SHR5, which may participate in signal transduction involved in the establishment of plant-endophytic bacteria interaction is described for the first time. SHR5 seems to be part of a novel subclass of RLKs present in a wide range of plant species. The expression of this gene is down-regulated in sugarcane plants associated exclusively with beneficial endophytic bacteria and is not a general response caused by micro-organisms or abiotic stress. In addition, more successful sugarcane-endophytic bacteria associations have a more pronounced decrease in SHR5 expression, suggesting that SHR5 mRNA levels in plant cells are inversely related to the efficiency of the association.