Tissue-Specific Expression of Cell Wall Proteins in Developing Soybean Tissues

Cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins (HRGPs) and glycine-rich proteins (GRPs) were examined at the protein and at the mRNA levels in developing soybean tissues by tissue print immunoblots and RNA blots. In young soybean stems, HRGPs are expressed most heavily in cambium cells, in a few layers of cortex cells surrounding primary phloem, and in some parenchyma cells around the primary xylem, whereas GRPs are highly expressed in the primary xylem and also in the primary phloem. In older soybean stems, HRGP genes are expressed exclusively in cambium cells and GRP genes are most heavily expressed in newly differentiated secondary xylem cells. Similar expression patterns of HRGPs and of GRPs were found in soybean petioles, seedcoats, and young hypocotyls, and also in bean petioles and stems. HRGPs and GRPs become insolubilized in soybean stem cell walls. Three major HRGP mRNAs and two major GRP mRNAs accumulate in soybean stems. Soluble HRGPs are abundant in young hypocotyl apical regions and young root apical regions, whereas in hypocotyl and root mature regions, soluble HRGPs are found only in a few layers of cortex cells surrounding the vascular bundles. GRPs are specifically localized in primary xylem cell walls of young root. These results show that the gene expression of HRGPs and GRPs is developmentally regulated in a tissue-specific manner. In soybean tissues, HRGPs are most heavily expressed in meristematic cells and in some of those cells that may be under stress, whereas GRPs are expressed in all cells that are or are going to be lignified.     

Nodulin gene expression in effective alfalfa nodules and in nodules arrested at three different stages of development

Nodulin gene expression was analyzed in effective and ineffective root nodules of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv Iroquois) elicited by three different Rhizobium meliloti mutants: an exoB mutant having defective acidic exopolysaccharide that does not fluoresce on plates containing the fluorescent brightener Calcofluor; fix21, a spontaneous mutant that has defective lipopolysaccharide and is Calcofluor bright; and a Rhizobium mutant resulting from a Tn5 insertion in the nifH gene of the nif operon. The ineffective nodules elicited by these various mutant rhizobia are blocked at different stages of nodule development and have unique phenotypes. A distinctive pattern of nodulin gene expression as determined by in vitro translations of total nodule RNA characterizes each nodule phenotype. Seventeen nodulins are found in effective nodules including five leghemoglobins. Only one nodulin gene is expressed in the bacteria-free nodules elicited by the exoB mutant. Other nodulin genes (leghemoglobin and nine others) are expressed in fix21-induced nodules. The genes for nodule-enhanced glutamine synthetase as well as for all the other nodulins are expressed in nodules induced by the nifH mutant. The expression of genes for the nodulins, including leghemoglobin, is independent of the nitrogen-fixing ability of the nodule and appears to correlate with the differentiation of densely cytoplasmic host cells in the nodule and, to some extent, with bacterial release from infection threads.     

Conservation of structure and cold-regulation of RNA-binding proteins in cyanobacteria: probable convergent evolution with eukaryotic glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins

The rbp gene family of the cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis strain M3 consists of eight members that encode small RNA-binding proteins containing a single RNA recognition motif (RRM). Similar genes are found in the genomes of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, Helicobacter pylori and Treponema pallidum, but are absent from the other completely sequenced prokaryotic genomes. The expression of the rbp genes of Anabaena is induced by low temperature, with the exception of the rbpD gene. We found four stretches of conserved sequences in the 5'-untranslated region of the cyanobacterial rbp genes that are known to be induced by low temperature. The cold-regulated Rbp proteins contain a short C-terminal glycine-rich domain. In this respect, these proteins are similar to plant and mammalian glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins (GRPs), which also contain a single RRM domain with a C-terminal glycine-rich domain and are highly expressed at low temperature. Detailed phylogenetic analysis showed, however, that the cyanobacterial Rbp proteins and the eukaryotic GRPs do not belong to a single lineage, but that the glycine-rich domains are likely to have been added independently. The cold-regulation of both types of proteins is also likely to have evolved independently. Furthermore, the chloroplast RNA-binding proteins are not likely to have originated from the Rbp proteins of endosymbiont cyanobacterium, but are supposed to have diverged from the GRPs. These results suggest that the cyanobacterial Rbp proteins and the eukaryotic GRPs are similar in both structure and regulation, but that this apparent similarity has resulted from convergent evolution.     

The involvement of Medicago truncatula non-specific lipid transfer protein N5 in the control of rhizobial infection

Cysteine-rich proteins seem to play important regulatory roles in Medicago truncatula/Sinorhizobium meliloti symbiosis. In particular, a large family of nodule-specific cysteine-rich (NCR) peptides is crucial for the differentiation of nitrogen-fixing bacteroids. The Medicago truncatula N5 protein (MtN5) is currently the only reported non-specific lipid transfer protein necessary for successful rhizobial symbiosis; in addition, MtN5 shares several characteristics with NCR peptides: a small size, a conserved cysteine-rich motif, an N-terminal signal peptide for secretion and antimicrobial activity. Unlike NCR peptides, MtN5 expression is not restricted to the root nodules and is induced during the early phases of symbiosis in root hairs and nodule primordia. Recently, MtN5 was determined to be involved in the regulation of root tissue invasion; while, it was dispensable for nodule primordia formation. Here, we discuss the hypothesis that MtN5 participates in linking the progression of bacterial invasion with restricting the competence of root hairs for infection.     

Architecture of infection thread networks in developing root nodules induced by the symbiotic bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti on Medicago truncatula

During the course of the development of nitrogen-fixing root nodules induced by Sinorhizobium meliloti on the model plant Medicago truncatula, tubules called infection threads are cooperatively constructed to deliver the bacterial symbiont from the root surface to cells in the interior of the root and developing nodule. Three-dimensional reconstructions of infection threads inside M. truncatula nodules showed that the threads formed relatively simple, tree-like networks. Some characteristics of thread networks, such as branch length, branch density, and branch surface-to-volume ratios, were remarkably constant across nodules in different stages of development. The overall direction of growth of the networks changed as nodules developed. In 5-d-old nodules, the overall growth of the network was directed inward toward the root. However, well-defined regions of these young networks displayed an outward growth bias, indicating that they were likely in the process of repolarizing their direction of development in response to the formation of the outward-growing nodule meristem. In 10- and 30-d-old nodules, the branches of the network grew outward toward the meristem and away from the roots on which the nodules developed.     

Cold shock domain proteins and glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana can promote the cold adaptation process in Escherichia coli

Despite the fact that cold shock domain proteins (CSDPs) and glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins (GRPs) have been implicated to play a role during the cold adaptation process, their importance and function in eukaryotes, including plants, are largely unknown. To understand the functional role of plant CSDPs and GRPs in the cold response, two CSDPs (CSDP1 and CSDP2) and three GRPs (GRP2, GRP4 and GRP7) from Arabidopsis thaliana were investigated. Heterologous expression of CSDP1 or GRP7 complemented the cold sensitivity of BX04 mutant Escherichia coli that lack four cold shock proteins (CSPs) and is highly sensitive to cold stress, and resulted in better survival rate than control cells during incubation at low temperature. In contrast, CSDP2 and GRP4 had very little ability. Selective evolution of ligand by exponential enrichment (SELEX) revealed that GRP7 does not recognize specific RNAs but binds preferentially to G-rich RNA sequences. CSDP1 and GRP7 had DNA melting activity, and enhanced RNase activity. In contrast, CSDP2 and GRP4 had no DNA melting activity and did not enhance RNAase activity. Together, these results indicate that CSDPs and GRPs help E.coli grow and survive better during cold shock, and strongly imply that CSDP1 and GRP7 exhibit RNA chaperone activity during the cold adaptation process.     

Rhizobium fix genes mediate at least two communication steps in symbiotic nodule development

To identify bacterial genes involved in symbiotic nodule development, ineffective nodules of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) induced by 64 different Fix-mutants of Rhizobium meliloti were characterized by assaying for symbiotic gene expression and by morphological studies. The expression of leghemoglobin and nodulin-25 genes from alfalfa and of the nifHD genes from R. meliloti were monitored by hybridizing the appropriate DNA probes to RNA samples prepared from nodules. The mutants were accordingly divided into three groups. In group I none of the genes were expressed, in group II only the plant genes were expressed and in group III all three genes were transcribed. Light and electron microscopical analysis of nodules revealed that nodule development was halted at different stages in nodules induced by different group I mutants. In most cases nodules were empty lacking infection threads and bacteroids or nodules contained infection threads and a few released bacteroids. In nodules induced by a third mutant class bacteria were released into the host cells, however the formation of the peribacteroid membrane was not normal. On this basis we suggest that peribacteroid membrane formation precedes leghemoglobin and nodulin-25 induction, moreover, after induction of nodulation by the nod genes at least two communication steps between the bacteria and the host plants are necessary for the development of the mature nodule. By complementing each mutant of group I with a genomic R. meliloti library made in pLAFRl, four new fix loci were identified, indicating that several bacterial genes are involved in late nodule development.     

Expression studies on AUX1-like genes in Medicago truncatula suggest that auxin is required at two steps in early nodule development

Medicago truncatula contains a family of at least five genes related to AUX1 of Arabidopsis thaliana (termed MtLAX genes for Medicago truncatula-like AUX1 genes). The high sequence similarity between the encoded proteins and AUX1 implies that the MtLAX genes encode auxin import carriers. The MtLAX genes are expressed in roots and other organs, suggesting that they play pleiotropic roles related to auxin uptake. In primary roots, the MtLAX genes are expressed preferentially in the root tips, particularly in the provascular bundles and root caps. During lateral root and nodule development, the genes are expressed in the primordia, particularly in cells that were probably derived from the pericycle. At slightly later stages, the genes are expressed in the regions of the developing organs where the vasculature arises (central position for lateral roots and peripheral region for nodules). These results are consistent with MtLAX being involved in local auxin transport and suggest that auxin is required at two common stages of lateral root and nodule development: development of the primordia and differentiation of the vasculature.     

Molecular genetics of Rhizobium Meliloti symbiotic nitrogen fixation

The application of recombinant DNA techniques to the study of symbiotic nitrogen fixation has yielded a growing list of Rhizobium meliloti genes involved in the processes of nodulation, infection thread formation and nitrogenase activity in nodules on the roots of the host plant, Medicago sativa (alfalfa). Interaction with the plant is initiated by genes encoding sensing and motility systems by which the bacteria recognizes and approaches the root. Signal molecules, such as flavonoids, mediate a complex interplay of bacterial and plant nodulation genes leading to entry of the bacteria through a root hair. As the nodule develops, the bacteria proceed inward towards the cortex within infection threads, the formation of which depends on bacterial genes involved in polysaccharide synthesis. Within the cortex, the bacteria enter host cells and differentiate into forms known as bacteroids. Genes which encode and regulate nitrogenase enzyme are expressed in the mature nodule, together with other genes required for import and metabolism of carbon and energy sources offered by the plant.     

Control of NO level in rhizobium-legume root nodules: Not only a plant globin story

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous signaling molecule which plays both regulatory and defense roles in animals and plants. In the symbiosis between legumes and rhizobia, NO has been shown to be involved in bacterial infection and nodule development steps as well as in mature nodule functioning. We recently showed that an increase in NO level inside Medicago truncatula root nodules also could trigger premature nodule senescence. Here we discuss the importance of the bacterial Sinorhizobium meliloti flavohemoglobin to finely tune the NO level inside nodules and further, we demonstrate that S. meliloti possesses at least two non redundant ways to control NO and that both systems are necessary to maintain efficient nitrogen fixing activity.     

Protoxylem: the deposition of a network containing glycine-rich cell wall proteins starts in the cell corners in close association with the pectins of the middle lamella

Antibodies were used to localise polysaccharide and protein networks in the protoxylem of etiolated soybean (Glycine max L.) hypocotyls. The deposition of glycine-rich proteins (GRPs) starts in the cell corners between protoxylem elements and xylem parenchyma cells. Finally, the GRPs form a network between two mature protoxylem elements. The network also interconnects the ring- and spiral-shaped secondary wall thickenings, as well as the thickenings with the middle lamellae of living xylem parenchyma cells. In addition to the GRP network, a polysaccharide network composed mainly of pectins is involved in the attachment of the secondary wall thickenings to the middle lamellae of xylem parenchyma cells.