title: Nitric oxide is required for an optimal establishment of the Medicago truncatula-Sinorhizobium meliloti symbiosis.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule that participates in numerous plant signalling pathways. It is involved in plant responses to pathogens and development processes such as seed germination, flowering and stomatal closure. Using a permeable NO-specific fluorescent probe and a bacterial reporter strain expressing the lacZ gene under the control of a NO-responsive promoter, we detected NO production in the first steps, during infection threads growth, of the Medicago truncatula-Sinorhizobium meliloti symbiotic interaction. Nitric oxide was also detected, by confocal microscopy, in nodule primordia. Depletion of NO caused by cPTIO (2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl imidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide), an NO scavenger, resulted in a significant delay in nodule appearance. The overexpression of a bacterial hmp gene, encoding a flavohaemoglobin able to scavenge NO, under the control of a nodule-specific promoter (pENOD20) in transgenic roots, led to the same phenotype. The NO scavenging resulting from these approaches provoked the downregulation of plant genes involved in nodule development, such as MtCRE1 and MtCCS52A. Furthermore, an Hmp-overexpressing S. meliloti mutant strain was found to be less competitive than the wild type in the nodulation process. Taken together, these results indicate that NO is required for an optimal establishment of the M. truncatula-S. meliloti symbiotic interaction.
authors: UMR INRA 1301/CNRS 6243/Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, Interactions Biotiques et Santé Végétale, Institut Agrobiotech, 400 route des Chappes, BP 167, F-06903 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, France.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Del Giudice
authors: UMR CNRS 2594/INRA 441, Laboratoire des Interactions Plantes Microorganismes, F-31320 Castanet Tolosan, France.
authors: Yvan
authors: Y
authors: Cam
authors: UMR INRA 1301/CNRS 6243/Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, Interactions Biotiques et Santé Végétale, Institut Agrobiotech, 400 route des Chappes, BP 167, F-06903 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, France.
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Damiani
authors: UMR INRA 1301/CNRS 6243/Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, Interactions Biotiques et Santé Végétale, Institut Agrobiotech, 400 route des Chappes, BP 167, F-06903 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, France.
authors: Franck
authors: F
authors: Fung-Chat
authors: UMR CNRS 2594/INRA 441, Laboratoire des Interactions Plantes Microorganismes, F-31320 Castanet Tolosan, France.
authors: Eliane
authors: E
authors: Meilhoc
authors: UMR CNRS 2594/INRA 441, Laboratoire des Interactions Plantes Microorganismes, F-31320 Castanet Tolosan, France.
authors: Claude
authors: C
authors: Bruand
authors: UMR INRA 1301/CNRS 6243/Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, Interactions Biotiques et Santé Végétale, Institut Agrobiotech, 400 route des Chappes, BP 167, F-06903 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, France.
authors: Renaud
authors: R
authors: Brouquisse
authors: UMR INRA 1301/CNRS 6243/Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, Interactions Biotiques et Santé Végétale, Institut Agrobiotech, 400 route des Chappes, BP 167, F-06903 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, France.
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Puppo
authors: UMR INRA 1301/CNRS 6243/Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis, Interactions Biotiques et Santé Végétale, Institut Agrobiotech, 400 route des Chappes, BP 167, F-06903 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, France.
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Boscari
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001565:Benzoates / Q000494:pharmacology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006420:Hemeproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D046913:Medicago truncatula / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D009154:Mutation; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation; D010641:Phenotype; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053204:Root Nodules, Plant / Q000254:growth & development*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016962:Sinorhizobium meliloti / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001565:Benzoates; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D006420:Hemeproteins; D007093:Imidazoles; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C086193:flavohemoprotein, Bacteria; C079393:1,3-dihydroxy-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-2-(4-carboxyphenyl)tetrahydroimidazole; D009569:Nitric Oxide