Post-genomic insights into plant nodulation symbioses 英文参考文献.docVIP

Minireview Post-genomic insights into plant nodulation symbioses Peter M Gresshoff Address: Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. E-mail: p.gresshoff@.au Published: 3 January 2003 Genome Biology 2003, 4:201 The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at /2003/4/1/201 ? 2003 BioMed Central Ltd Abstract Several legume genes involved in establishing nitrogen fixation have been discovered using functional genomics; when mutated, the genes affect symbioses, and all encode receptor kinases. This provides long-awaited insights into a complex plant-bacterium interaction and heralds the possibility of extending the range of plants susceptible to nitrogen-fixing nodulation. Nitrogen is essential for life interaction, with the identification of crucial signal transduc- tion genes involved early in the response to Rhizobium. The major advances originate from the discovery of plant genes that, if mutated, affect the symbiotic function of the plant. This breakthrough was accomplished by applying functional genomic tools to classic plant mutation breeding, a fruitful marriage of old and new approaches. Precise genetic and developmental controls are required for the establishment of the complex interaction between bacterium and plant. Most significantly, when the legume root is stimulated by the appropriate bacterial partner it develops spherical, cylindri- cal or coral-like outgrowths, in which the bacterium is housed and where it accomplishes nitrogen fixation (the reduction of atmospheric N gas into NH , which is subse- Plants are essential for life on this planet; they convert solar energy to chemical energy that we eventually use as food, fuel, feed and fiber. But plants can do this only if they have nitrogen, the most limiting element for the synth