The CRE1 cytokinin pathway is differentially recruited depending on Medicago truncatula root environments and negatively regulates resistance to a pathogen

PLoS One. 2015 Jan 6;10(1):e0116819. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116819. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Cytokinins are phytohormones that regulate many developmental and environmental responses. The Medicago truncatula cytokinin receptor MtCRE1 (Cytokinin Response 1) is required for the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with rhizobia. As several cytokinin signaling genes are modulated in roots depending on different biotic and abiotic conditions, we assessed potential involvement of this pathway in various root environmental responses. Phenotyping of cre1 mutant roots infected by the Gigaspora margarita arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiotic fungus, the Aphanomyces euteiches root oomycete, or subjected to an abiotic stress (salt), were carried out. Detailed histological analysis and quantification of cre1 mycorrhized roots did not reveal any detrimental phenotype, suggesting that MtCRE1 does not belong to the ancestral common symbiotic pathway shared by rhizobial and AM symbioses. cre1 mutants formed an increased number of emerged lateral roots compared to wild-type plants, a phenotype which was also observed under non-stressed conditions. In response to A. euteiches, cre1 mutants showed reduced disease symptoms and an increased plant survival rate, correlated to an enhanced formation of lateral roots, a feature previously linked to Aphanomyces resistance. Overall, we showed that the cytokinin CRE1 pathway is not only required for symbiotic nodule organogenesis but also affects both root development and resistance to abiotic and biotic environmental stresses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aphanomyces / pathogenicity
  • Cytokinins / genetics
  • Cytokinins / metabolism*
  • Glomeromycota / pathogenicity
  • Medicago truncatula / growth & development
  • Medicago truncatula / metabolism*
  • Mutation
  • Nitrogen / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism*
  • Plant Roots / drug effects
  • Plant Roots / growth & development
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Sodium Chloride / pharmacology
  • Symbiosis
  • Transcriptome / drug effects

Substances

  • Cytokinins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Nitrogen

Grants and funding

Work in F.F.’s laboratory was supported by the LEGUROOT French ANR project, CNRS, and the “Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche” (PhD grant to T.K.). Work in C.J.’s laboratory (LRSV) was funded by the “Université Paul Sabatier”, CNRS, and the “Immunit-Ae” French ANR project (ANR-10-GENM-0007; PhD grant to O.A.). Work in P.B.’s laboratory was funded by the Italian project PRO-ROOT (Call Prin 2010). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.