Function of the soybean GmCYS20 gene in symbiotic nodulation of Lotus japonicus

doi:10.11686/cyxb2018042

Abstract

Abstract: Cystatin plays an important role in the symbiotic relationship between leguminous plants and rhizobium. We cloned the soybean cystatin gene GmCYS20 (291 bp) for analysis in this study. The analysis of amino acid multiple sequence alignment with homologous proteins showed that the similarity between soybean GmCYS20 and wild soybean (Glycine soja) CYS was up to 99%. The plant overexpression vector was constructed and GmCYS20-overexpression composite plants were obtained in Lotus japonicas using the hairy root transformation method. Positive hairy roots were identified by GUS staining and RT-PCR assay. After inoculation with rhizobia for 4 weeks, overexpression of GmCYS20 increased the number of nodules in composite Lotus japonicus and up regulated the expression levels of symbiotic related genes. Further analysis of rhizobial infection phenotypes after inoculation with rhizobia for 10 days showed that overexpression of GmCYS20 gene did not affect the rhizobium infection process but played a positive role in initiation and development of nodules. These results showed that the GmCYS20 gene was involved in the regulation of symbiotic nodulation by promoting nodule initiation and development in L. japonicus. The results provide new molecular biological avenues to reveal the mechanisms of the symbiotic interaction between leguminous plants and rhizobium.

Key words: Glycine max, cystatin, Lotus japonicus, symbiotic nodulation, nodule development

KE Dan-xia, PENG Kun-peng, ZHANG Meng-ke, JIA Yan. Function of the soybean GmCYS20 gene in symbiotic nodulation of Lotus japonicus[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2018, 27(9): 132-141.

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