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. 1994 Oct;6(10):1357–1374. doi: 10.1105/tpc.6.10.1357

Rhizobium meliloti lipooligosaccharide nodulation factors: different structural requirements for bacterial entry into target root hair cells and induction of plant symbiotic developmental responses.

M Ardourel 1, N Demont 1, F Debellé 1, F Maillet 1, F de Billy 1, J C Promé 1, J Dénarié 1, G Truchet 1
PMCID: PMC160526  PMID: 7994171

Abstract

Rhizobium meliloti produces lipochitooligosaccharide nodulation NodRm factors that are required for nodulation of legume hosts. NodRm factors are O-acetylated and N-acylated by specific C16-unsaturated fatty acids. nodL mutants produce non-O-acetylated factors, and nodFE mutants produce factors with modified acyl substituents. Both mutants exhibited a significantly reduced capacity to elicit infection thread (IT) formation in alfalfa. However, once initiated, ITs developed and allowed the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules. In contrast, double nodF/nodL mutants were unable to penetrate into legume hosts and to form ITs. Nevertheless, these mutants induced widespread cell wall tip growth in trichoblasts and other epidermal cells and were also able to elicit cortical cell activation at a distance. NodRm factor structural requirements are thus clearly more stringent for bacterial entry than for the elicitation of developmental plant responses.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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