The legume Medicago truncatula forms symbiotic associations with rhizobial bacteria, leading to nodule development and nitrogen fixation, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, resulting in enhanced phosphorous nutrition. These associations do not occur in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.

With prior support from the NSF Plant Genome Program, members of this research team have participated in the generation and large-scale analysis of M. truncatula's expressed sequences, with a particular focus on symbiosis. While cDNAs for most of the genes expressed during rhizobial and mycorrhizal symbioses were cloned in these studies, their function is largely unknown. The overall objectives of this project are to identify genes that are essential for symbiotic development and to provide insights into their roles. Building on resources developed in the previous EST project, the research team will use RNA interference (RNAi), to systematically silence the expression of 1,500 genes implicated in the development or functioning of the rhizobia-legume or mycorrhizal symbioses. Transgenic roots will be tested for altered symbiotic interactions and genes essential for development of these symbioses will be identified. Descriptions of the resulting root and symbiotic phenotypes will be disseminated to the scientific community electronically and a resource of 1,500 RNAi-inducing plasmids will be made available.

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Last Updated: 9/18/06