UPR 5301

Ligand-recognizing motifs in plant LysM receptors are major determinants of specificity

We have just published the results of our international collaboration with Aarhus University (DK), University of Cambridge (UK), University of Copenhagen (DK), University of Otago (NZ) in the prestigious journal Science. This work reports for the first time how, legumes (soybean, alfalfa, peas...) have established a beneficial symbiosis with soil bacteria that fix nitrogen, a key nutrient, by a subtle structural evolution of a receptor common to all terrestrial plants. These results open up major prospects for the development of more sustainable agriculture by reducing the use of nitrogen fertilizers.

Abstract:

“Plants evolved lysine motif (LysM) receptors to recognize and parse microbial elicitors and drive intracellular signaling to limit or facilitate microbial colonization. We investigated how chitin and nodulation (Nod) factor receptors of Lotus japonicus initiate differential signaling of immunity or root nodule symbiosis. Two motifs in the LysM1 domains of these receptors determine specific recognition of ligands and discriminate between their in planta functions. These motifs define the ligand-binding site and make up the most structurally divergent regions in cognate Nod factor receptors. An adjacent motif modulates the specificity for Nod factor recognition and determines the selection of compatible rhizobial symbionts in legumes. We also identified how binding specificities in LysM receptors can be altered to facilitate Nod factor recognition and signaling from a chitin receptor, advancing the prospects of engineering rhizobial symbiosis into nonlegumes.”

Our publication is availaible here:
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6504/663