Plant–Environment Response Pathway Regulation Uncovered by Investigating Non-Typical Legume Symbiosis and Nodulation

Wilkinson, Helen; Coppock, Alice; Richmond, Bethany L.; Lagunas, Beatriz; Gifford, Miriam L.

doi:10.3390/plants12101964

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Plant–Environment Response Pathway Regulation Uncovered by Investigating Non-Typical Legume Symbiosis and Nodulation

by

Helen Wilkinson

¹

,

Alice Coppock

¹

,

Bethany L. Richmond

¹

,

Beatriz Lagunas

¹

and

Miriam L. Gifford

^1,2,*

¹

School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK

²

Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Plants 2023, 12(10), 1964; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101964

Submission received: 8 April 2023 / Revised: 5 May 2023 / Accepted: 10 May 2023 / Published: 12 May 2023

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms in Root Nodule Symbiosis)

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Abstract

Nitrogen is an essential element needed for plants to survive, and legumes are well known to recruit rhizobia to fix atmospheric nitrogen. In this widely studied symbiosis, legumes develop specific structures on the roots to host specific symbionts. This review explores alternate nodule structures and their functions outside of the more widely studied legume–rhizobial symbiosis, as well as discussing other unusual aspects of nodulation. This includes actinorhizal-Frankia, cycad-cyanobacteria, and the non-legume Parasponia andersonii-rhizobia symbioses. Nodules are also not restricted to the roots, either, with examples found within stems and leaves. Recent research has shown that legume–rhizobia nodulation brings a great many other benefits, some direct and some indirect. Rhizobial symbiosis can lead to modifications in other pathways, including the priming of defence responses, and to modulated or enhanced resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. With so many avenues to explore, this review discusses recent discoveries and highlights future directions in the study of nodulation.

Keywords: nodulation; legumes; rhizobia; actinorhizal interactions; stress responses; Parasponia

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MDPI and ACS Style

Wilkinson, H.; Coppock, A.; Richmond, B.L.; Lagunas, B.; Gifford, M.L. Plant–Environment Response Pathway Regulation Uncovered by Investigating Non-Typical Legume Symbiosis and Nodulation. Plants 2023, 12, 1964. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101964

AMA Style

Wilkinson H, Coppock A, Richmond BL, Lagunas B, Gifford ML. Plant–Environment Response Pathway Regulation Uncovered by Investigating Non-Typical Legume Symbiosis and Nodulation. Plants. 2023; 12(10):1964. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101964

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wilkinson, Helen, Alice Coppock, Bethany L. Richmond, Beatriz Lagunas, and Miriam L. Gifford. 2023. "Plant–Environment Response Pathway Regulation Uncovered by Investigating Non-Typical Legume Symbiosis and Nodulation" Plants 12, no. 10: 1964. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101964

APA Style

Wilkinson, H., Coppock, A., Richmond, B. L., Lagunas, B., & Gifford, M. L. (2023). Plant–Environment Response Pathway Regulation Uncovered by Investigating Non-Typical Legume Symbiosis and Nodulation. Plants, 12(10), 1964. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101964

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Plant–Environment Response Pathway Regulation Uncovered by Investigating Non-Typical Legume Symbiosis and Nodulation

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