NFYC1, a transcription factor required for nodule organogenesis, interacts with a receptor like kinase and a GRAS transcriptional regulator

CLÚA, JOAQUÍN; RÍPODAS, CAROLINA; BATTAGLIA, MARINA; ZANETTI, MARÍA EUGENIA; BLANCO, FLAVIO

Chascomús

Congreso; XV Jornadas anuales de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología; 2013

Sociedad Argentina de Biología

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) establishes a nitrogen fixing association with its partner Rhizobium etli. In this interaction, host-dependant competitiveness has been observed, in which accessions from the Mesoamerican region are more efficiently and preferentially nodulated by strains that are predominant in the same geographical region. A C subunit of the heterotrimeric nuclear factor Y (NF-Y), PvNF-YC1, was identified as a gene required for nodule organogenesis and bacterial infection that contributes to this preferential association. In order to identify proteins that can physically interact with this transcription factor, a yeast two hybrid screening was performed using PvNF-YC1 as a bait and a cDNA library from root tissue inoculated with R. etli. A total of eight clones that potentially interacts with NF-YC1 were isolated and sequenced.  Among them, one encodes a receptor-like kinase and another clone encodes a transcriptional regulator of the GRAS family.  Interaction of PvNF-YC1 with these gene products has been confirmed by retransformation of yeast, and it is being evaluated in planta by bimolecular fluorescent complementation assays in Agrobacterium-infiltrated Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and co-immunoprecipitation assays. Function of these PvNF-YC1 interacting proteins in nodulation efficiency and bacterial infection is being evaluated by both RNAi and overexpression. This will help to elucidate the signal transduction pathway specifically activated in Mesoamerican common bean in response to its cognate R. etli strain.