• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.127-130
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• 1999

Cytological changes of cowpea root at the early stage of root nodule formation (within 5 days after inoculation) were viewed by light and electron microscopy. The root region affected by the rhizobial infection, which was composed of a redial array of cortical cells, had prominent cell divisions, mostly anticlinal in the inner cortical cells and in addition oblique and periclinal in the outer cells. An infected root hair cell (or root hair-producing epidermal cell) had numerous infection threads and degenerated cytoplasm. Module meristem was formed adjacent to the infected root hair cell, and characterized by dense cytoplasm, prominent nucleus, numerous small vacuoles, and increased plastids, containing infection threads as well. Bacterial cells were dividing inside the infection thread, the wall materials of which appeared to be dissolved ad accumulated in small vacuoles. inner cortical cells contiguous to the nodule meristem appeared to be actively dividing and dedifferentiating; however, they were not infected by the rhizobia. These structural characteristics are similar to those in the Bradyrhizobium-soybean association previously reported, and may reflect the similar cytological process in cowpea in the early nodule formation.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.300-306
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• 2022

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade is essential for a wide range of cellular responses in plants, including defense responses, responses to abiotic stress, hormone signaling, and developmental processes. Recent investigations have shown that the stress, ethylene, and MAPK signaling pathways negatively affect the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules by directly modulating the symbiotic signaling components. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the defense responses mediated by MAPK signaling in the organogenesis of nitrogen-fixing nodules remain unclear. In the present study, I demonstrate that the Medicago truncatula mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 5 (MtMKK5)-Medicago truncatula mitogen-activated protein kinase 3/6 (MtMPK3/6) signaling module, expressed specifically in the symbiotic nodules, promotes defense signaling, but not ethylene signaling pathways, thereby inhibiting nodule development in M. truncatula. U0126 treatment resulted in increased cell division in the nodule meristem zone due to the inhibition of MAPK signaling. The phosphorylated TEY motif in the activation domain of MtMPK3/6 was the target domain associated with specific interactions with MtMKK5. I have confirmed the physical interactions between M. truncatula nodule inception (MtNIN) and MtMPK3/6. In the presence of high expression levels of the defense-related genes FRK1 and WRKY29, MtMKK5a overexpression significantly enhanced the defense responses of Arabidopsis against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000). Overall, my data show that the negative regulation of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing nodule organogenesis by defense signaling pathways is mediated by the MtMKK5-MtMPK3/6 module.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 1993

The root nodules of Elaeagnus umbellata were coralloid-shape due to repeated dichotomous branching of nodule meristem. The filamentous endophyte with vesicle cluster ranging from 30 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ to 60 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in diameter was present only in the cortical cells. The isolated endophytes in vitro culture showed typical Frankia morphology, consisting of highly branched hyphae ranging from 0.8 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ to 1.0 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in diameter, terminal and intrahyphal sporangia varing in shape and size up to 60 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in length and laminated vesicles. Its infectivity and effectivity were confirmed by induction of nitrogen-fixing root nodules on the inoculated seedlings of two Elaeagnus species. Consequently, the isolate was confirmed as a true symbiont of Elaeagnus umbellata root nodule and named Frankia EuIK1.