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Nature 420, 422-426 (28 November 2002) | doi:10.1038/nature01207; Received 19 July 2002; Accepted 11 October 2002; Published online 6 November 2002

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Shoot control of root development and nodulation is mediated by a receptor-like kinase

Lene Krusell1, Lene H. Madsen1, Shusei Sato2, Grégoire Aubert3, Aratz Genua1, Krzysztof Szczyglowski4, Gérard Duc3, Takakazu Kaneko2, Satoshi Tabata2, Frans de Bruijn5, Eloisa Pajuelo1, Niels Sandal1 & Jens Stougaard1

  1. Laboratory of Gene Expression, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Aarhus, Gustav Wieds Vej 10, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
  2. Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kisarazu, Chiba, 292-0812, Japan
  3. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unite de Recherche de Genetique et D'Amelioration des Plantes (URGAP), BP 86510, 21065 Dijon, Cédex, France
  4. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, SCPFRC, 1391 Sandford Street, London, Ontario N5V 4T3, Canada
  5. Laboratoire de Biologie Moleculaire des Relations Plantes-Microorganismes, B.P. 27 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, Cedex, France

Correspondence to: Jens Stougaard1 Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to J.S. (e-mail: Email: stougaard@mbio.aau.dk). The sequences for the L. japonicus HAR1 gene and mRNA are deposited in GenBank under accession numbers AJ495843 and AJ495844, respectively; the P. sativum SYM29 gene is deposited under accession number AJ495759. The sequences for TAC LjT09E01/TM0258 are deposited in GenBank under accession numbers AP005665, AP005666 and AP005667.

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In legumes, root nodule organogenesis is activated in response to morphogenic lipochitin oligosaccharides that are synthesized by bacteria, commonly known as rhizobia1. Successful symbiotic interaction results in the formation of highly specialized organs called root nodules, which provide a unique environment for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. In wild-type plants the number of nodules is regulated by a signalling mechanism integrating environmental and developmental cues to arrest most rhizobial infections within the susceptible zone of the root2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Furthermore, a feedback mechanism controls the temporal and spatial susceptibility to infection of the root system. This mechanism is referred to as autoregulation of nodulation, as earlier nodulation events inhibit nodulation of younger root tissues3, 4, 8. Lotus japonicus plants homozygous for a mutation in the hypernodulation aberrant root (har1) locus escape this regulation and form an excessive number of nodules9, 10, 11. Here we report the molecular cloning and expression analysis of the HAR1 gene and the pea orthologue, Pisum sativum, SYM29. HAR1 encodes a putative serine/threonine receptor kinase, which is required for shoot-controlled regulation of root growth, nodule number, and for nitrate sensitivity of symbiotic development.

  1. Laboratory of Gene Expression, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Aarhus, Gustav Wieds Vej 10, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
  2. Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kisarazu, Chiba, 292-0812, Japan
  3. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Unite de Recherche de Genetique et D'Amelioration des Plantes (URGAP), BP 86510, 21065 Dijon, Cédex, France
  4. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, SCPFRC, 1391 Sandford Street, London, Ontario N5V 4T3, Canada
  5. Laboratoire de Biologie Moleculaire des Relations Plantes-Microorganismes, B.P. 27 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, Cedex, France

Correspondence to: Jens Stougaard1 Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to J.S. (e-mail: Email: stougaard@mbio.aau.dk). The sequences for the L. japonicus HAR1 gene and mRNA are deposited in GenBank under accession numbers AJ495843 and AJ495844, respectively; the P. sativum SYM29 gene is deposited under accession number AJ495759. The sequences for TAC LjT09E01/TM0258 are deposited in GenBank under accession numbers AP005665, AP005666 and AP005667.