title: Cytokinin: secret agent of symbiosis.
abstract: The symbiotic interaction between Rhizobium bacteria and legumes leads to the induction of a new root organ: the nitrogen-fixing nodule. Recent findings have uncovered that cytokinin is instrumental in this developmental process, but they also suggest a broader role for cytokinin in mediating rhizobial infection. In this opinion article, we propose that cytokinin is the key differentiation signal for nodule organogenesis. Furthermore, we discuss a model in which cytokinin might also influence bacterial infection by controlling the expression of NIN (Nodule Inception) and other transcriptional regulators through mechanisms operating both locally and systemically.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Sciences du Végétal, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 91198 Gif sur Yvette cedex, France.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frugier
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kosuta
authors.forename: Jeremy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crespi
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szczyglowski
mesh_terms: D003583:Cytokinins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000254:growth & development; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003583:Cytokinins