title: Kin recognition is a nutrient-dependent inducible phenomenon.
abstract: Recognition and response to prospective competitors are crucial variables that must be considered in resource distribution and utilization in plant communities. Associated behaviors are largely mediated through the exchange of low-molecular weight exudates. These cues can significantly alter the root system architecture (RSA) between neighboring plants and are routinely sensitive enough to distinguish between plants of the same or different accessions, a phenomenon known as kin recognition (KR). Such refined discrimination of identity, based on the composition and detection of patterns of exudate signals is remarkable and provides insight into the chemical ecology of plant-plant interactions. The discovery that KR occurs in Arabidopsis thaliana provides a model system to resolve many of the mechanistic questions associated with this process. We hypothesized that the low-molecular weight cues which direct changes to the RSA during KR was driven by nutrient availability. Here we present evidence in support of a nutrient-inducible model for KR. Our findings underscore how exudate production and detection are influenced by nutrient availability as well as how this information is integrated into 'decisions' about competition and root system architecture which may have broader impacts on community composition.
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Andrew G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Maysaa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Shukun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parchami
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Thiara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bento
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazzella
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Musa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oni
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: a Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences , Melbourne , FL , USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Massa
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053147:Plant Exudates / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D053147:Plant Exudates
keywords: Arabidopsis thaliana; kin recognition; nutrient availability; plant growth and development; plant-plant interactions; resource utilization; root exudates; root system architecture; sociobiology