Abstract
Leguminous plants form root nodule organs with soil rhizobia bacteria, which can fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2) and supply ammonia to the host plant. It is established that the symbiotic N fixation efficiency is substantially influenced by plant nutrients, such as molybdenum (Mo), phosphorus (P), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Potassium (K+) is the most abundant cation in plant cells; however, little evidence regarding the potential link between K nutrition and symbiotic N fixation efficiency is available to date. Here, we showed that K+ deficiency reduced the efficiency of symbiotic nitrogen fixation, and inoculated with rhizobia strain USDA110 could improve plant K+ acquisition. Furthermore, we identified a potassium transporter gene (GmHAK5) that was highly expressed in the root steles and in the vasculature cells of nodules. The GmHAK5 protein was localized at the plasma membrane and could rescue the growth phenotype of yeast K+ uptake-defective mutant. The results obtained from this study provides new insights for the understanding of the potential role of K+ nutrition in modulating symbiotic N fixation in soybean.
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This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Young Scientists Fund (32002123, 42007120). University Natural Science Research Project of Anhui Province (KJ2021A0892). Special fund for scientific innovation strategy-construction of high-level Academy of Guangdong academy of agriculture science (R2017YJ-YB1001).
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JJL, JHL and AQC planned and designed the research; JJL, JHL and MMC performed the experiments; JJL, JLL and XC analyzed the data; JJL wrote the manuscript. GHX and AQC revised to the manuscript.
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Liu, J., Liu, J., Cui, M. et al. Investigate the Effect of Potassium on Nodule Symbiosis and Uncover an HAK/KUP/KT Member, GmHAK5, Strongly Responsive to Root Nodulation in Soybean. J. Plant Biol. 65, 459–471 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12374-022-09364-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12374-022-09364-3