Terminal Bacteroid Differentiation Is Associated With Variable Morphological Changes in Legume Species Belonging to the Inverted Repeat-Lacking Clade

摘要: Medicago and closely related legume species from the inverted repeat-lacking clade (IRLC) impose terminal differentiation onto their bacterial endosymbionts, manifested in genome endoreduplication, cell enlargement, loss of cell-division capacity. Nodule-specific cysteine-rich (NCR) secreted host peptides are plant effectors this process. As bacteroids other IRLC legumes, such as Cicer arietinum Glycyrrhiza lepidota, were reported not to display features differentiation, we investigated fate these genera well four representing distinct phylogenetic tree for clade. Bacteroids all tested legumes proved be larger size DNA content than cultured cells; however, degree elongation was rather variable different species. In addition, reproductive ability isolated remarkably reduced. with available sequence data, existence NCR genes found. These results indicate that provoke endosymbionts morphotypes, probably help peptides.