{"title":"From roots to nodules: regulation of organogenesis in nitrogen-fixing symbiosis","authors":"Katharina Schiessl , Min-Yao Jhu","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102755","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plants in the nitrogen-fixing clade have evolved symbiotic root nodules to overcome nitrogen limitations in the soil. These nodules host nitrogen-fixing bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, supplying essential nutrients to the plant. Nodule formation is triggered by plant–bacteria interactions and relies on genetic adaptations, including the recruitment of existing regulatory pathways. The transcription factor <em>NODULE INCEPTION</em> (<em>NIN</em>) is a key regulator required for bacterial infection, nodule initiation, and organ differentiation. Nodule development shares key features with lateral root formation, particularly in organ initiation and early growth stages, as both arise from the same root tissue layers. This overlap raises intriguing questions about how nodules evolved distinct forms and functions. This review highlights recent discoveries in the molecular and cellular mechanisms of nodule development, especially in the <em>Papilionoideae</em> clade. By comparing nodules and lateral roots, we explore the regulatory changes that led to their evolutionary divergence. We highlight emerging tools—single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and advanced imaging—that are deepening insights into nodulation, alongside phylogenomics revealing its evolutionary history.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"86 ","pages":"Article 102755"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Current opinion in plant biology","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S136952662500069X","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PLANT SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Plants in the nitrogen-fixing clade have evolved symbiotic root nodules to overcome nitrogen limitations in the soil. These nodules host nitrogen-fixing bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, supplying essential nutrients to the plant. Nodule formation is triggered by plant–bacteria interactions and relies on genetic adaptations, including the recruitment of existing regulatory pathways. The transcription factor NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) is a key regulator required for bacterial infection, nodule initiation, and organ differentiation. Nodule development shares key features with lateral root formation, particularly in organ initiation and early growth stages, as both arise from the same root tissue layers. This overlap raises intriguing questions about how nodules evolved distinct forms and functions. This review highlights recent discoveries in the molecular and cellular mechanisms of nodule development, especially in the Papilionoideae clade. By comparing nodules and lateral roots, we explore the regulatory changes that led to their evolutionary divergence. We highlight emerging tools—single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and advanced imaging—that are deepening insights into nodulation, alongside phylogenomics revealing its evolutionary history.
期刊介绍:
Current Opinion in Plant Biology builds on Elsevier's reputation for excellence in scientific publishing and long-standing commitment to communicating high quality reproducible research. It is part of the Current Opinion and Research (CO+RE) suite of journals. All CO+RE journals leverage the Current Opinion legacy - of editorial excellence, high-impact, and global reach - to ensure they are a widely read resource that is integral to scientists' workflow.