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 ”
    Raka M. Mitra, Cynthia Gleason, Anne Edwards, James Hadfield, J. Allan Downie, Giles Oldroyd, Sharon R. Long
    TLDR The DMI3 gene is essential for nodule development and symbiosis in certain plants.
    The study identified the DMI3 gene, encoding a calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase crucial for symbiotic nodule development in Medicago truncatula. Mutations in DMI3 blocked nodule formation but allowed calcium spiking, indicating its role in transducing calcium signals. The research demonstrated that DMI3 was essential for symbiotic interactions with rhizobial bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi. A novel transcript-based cloning method was used to identify the gene, proving effective in both M. truncatula and barley, suggesting its potential for rapid gene identification in plants with complex genomes.
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