A Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Required for Symbiotic Nodule Development: Gene Identification by Transcript-Based Cloning
March 2004
in “
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
”
TLDR The DMI3 gene is essential for nodule development and symbiosis in certain plants.
The study identified the DMI3 gene in Medicago truncatula, which encodes a calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase crucial for symbiotic nodule development. The dmi3 mutant exhibited calcium spiking and root hair swelling in response to Nod factors but failed to initiate symbiotic gene expression or cell division for nodule formation, indicating a failure in signal transduction downstream of calcium spiking. This gene was also important for symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi. The research demonstrated that transcript-based cloning is effective for gene identification in barley, highlighting its potential in crop plants. The DMI3 protein class was well conserved in plants interacting with mycorrhizal fungi but less so in Arabidopsis thaliana, which does not engage in such symbiosis.
