The C2H2 transcription factor regulator of symbiosome differentiation represses transcription of the secretory pathway gene VAMP721a and promotes symbiosome development in Medicago truncatula

Plant Cell. 2013 Sep;25(9):3584-601. doi: 10.1105/tpc.113.114017. Epub 2013 Sep 30.

Abstract

Transcription factors (TFs) are thought to regulate many aspects of nodule and symbiosis development in legumes, although few TFs have been characterized functionally. Here, we describe regulator of symbiosome differentiation (RSD) of Medicago truncatula, a member of the Cysteine-2/Histidine-2 (C2H2) family of plant TFs that is required for normal symbiosome differentiation during nodule development. RSD is expressed in a nodule-specific manner, with maximal transcript levels in the bacterial invasion zone. A tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) retrotransposon (Tnt1) insertion rsd mutant produced nodules that were unable to fix nitrogen and that contained incompletely differentiated symbiosomes and bacteroids. RSD protein was localized to the nucleus, consistent with a role of the protein in transcriptional regulation. RSD acted as a transcriptional repressor in a heterologous yeast assay. Transcriptome analysis of an rsd mutant identified 11 genes as potential targets of RSD repression. RSD interacted physically with the promoter of one of these genes, VAMP721a, which encodes vesicle-associated membrane protein 721a. Thus, RSD may influence symbiosome development in part by repressing transcription of VAMP721a and modifying vesicle trafficking in nodule cells. This establishes RSD as a TF implicated directly in symbiosome and bacteroid differentiation and a transcriptional regulator of secretory pathway genes in plants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant*
  • Genome, Plant / genetics*
  • Medicago truncatula / genetics*
  • Medicago truncatula / growth & development
  • Medicago truncatula / microbiology
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Sequence Annotation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Nitrogen Fixation
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Plant Root Nodulation
  • Root Nodules, Plant / genetics
  • Root Nodules, Plant / metabolism
  • Root Nodules, Plant / microbiology
  • Secretory Pathway
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sinorhizobium meliloti / physiology
  • Symbiosis
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Plant Proteins
  • Transcription Factors

Associated data

  • GENBANK/JX307863