Abstract
Legume plants have developed an intimate association with nitrogen-fixing rhizobial bacteria that provide plants with a reliable nitrogen source. Central to this plant-bacterial interaction is the formation of unique organs on plant roots called nodule. The nodules are plant-derived structures that formed from cortical cells following recognition of rhizobial bacteria by the plant. The phytohormone cytokinin is a key element in the nodule formation. Several reports of gain-of-function mutation and loss-of-function mutation in Lotus japonicus Lhk1 that is a homologous gene of Arabidopsis CRE1 encoding the cytokinin receptor revealed that Lhk1 is required for the initiation of nodule development. Although, the molecular mechanisms that cytokinin signaling controls the nodule development remain largely unknown. The mechanism of cytokinin signaling and some factors involved in the pathway have been revealed in Arabidopsis.
In this presentation, the involvement of the homologous genes in the cytokinin signaling in the nodulation of Lotus japonicus root, will be reported.
