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Secondary metabolite profiling of the model legume Lotus japonicus during its symbiotic interaction with Mesorhizobium loti

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Abstract

Plant secondary metabolites, particularly flavonoids, are key components in the early stages of nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. Despite their importance, the endogenous secondary metabolites involved in symbiosis have not yet been identified in the model legume Lotus japonicus. We therefore determined changes in the secondary metabolic profile of Lotus japonicus roots in response to its symbiont. Analysis of the root secondary metabolite profiles 1 week after inoculation with Mesorhizobium loti revealed quantitative changes in the level of 14 phenolic peaks when compared with non-inoculated control plants. These changes affected compounds from most phenolic classes, possibly resulting from interconversion between classes since the total phenolic level remained constant. In addition, the use of 2 M. loti strains differing only in their capacity to synthesise Nod factor revealed that, although Nod factor signalling induced accumulation of a specific subset of 4 phenolic peaks, most changes were induced in response to both rhizobial strains.

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Acknowledgements

Authors thank Ruth Sanderson for her invaluable help on statistical analysis of the data and Jo Spikes for careful reading of the manuscript. NR was supported by a Training Network funded by the European Training Network EU-RTN-LOTUS-HPRN-CT-2000-00086. KJW was supported by core funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC), UK.

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  1. N. Rispail

    Present address: Department of Plant Breeding, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture-CSIC, Avenida Menendez Pidal s/n, Alameda del Obispo, 14080, Cordoba, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3EB, Wales, UK

    N. Rispail, B. Hauck & K. J. Webb

  2. Summit Wales Ltd, Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, SY23 3EB, Wales, UK

    B. Bartholomew, A. A. Watson & R. J. Nash

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  1. N. Rispail
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Correspondence to N. Rispail.

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Rispail, N., Hauck, B., Bartholomew, B. et al. Secondary metabolite profiling of the model legume Lotus japonicus during its symbiotic interaction with Mesorhizobium loti . Symbiosis 50, 119–128 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-010-0053-7

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