Anton Sulima
All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Russia
Title: The pea (Pisum sativum L) selectivity towards nitrogen-fi xing microsymbiont caused by receptorlike kinase gene LykX
Biography
Biography: Anton Sulima
Abstract
Specifi city of the symbiosis between legume plants and nodule bacteria (rhizobia) is based on ligand-receptor interactions,
during which the bacterial signal molecules (Nod-factors) are recognized by plant receptor kinases. Within the pea species,
several genotypes originating from Middle East are diff erent in their ability to perceive the Nod-factor structure, which results
in their increased selectivity for bacterial symbionts. Th is trait is controlled by plant gene Sym2 with unknown function.
We have identifi ed a new pea gene LykX which encodes a receptor-like kinase potentially capable of binding Nod-factor.
Th ere are two specifi c alleles of LykX leading to amino acid substitutions in corresponding protein which correlate with the
high selectivity in legume-rhizobial symbiosis. Th us, LykX is currently considered the most likely candidate for the Sym2.
For a further description of the role of LykX in symbiosis we performed the TILLING analysis on pea mutant collection (in
collaboration with Dr. Marion Dalmais, INRA-URGV, France). 8 mutant families with mutations presumably disrupting the
function of LykX protein (according to the in silico prediction; SIFT program) were identifi ed. Plants in each family have shown
the decreased number of nodules along with signifi cantly increased number of infection attempts. To decisively confi rm the
role of LykX, we intend to conduct the allelism test between mutant LykX alleles and wild Sym2 varieties.