Forging a symbiosis: transition metal delivery in symbiotic nitrogen fixation

This review work summarizes the most recent advances in our understanding of how iron, copper, zinc, and molybdenum are transferred to the endosymbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria colonizing legume root nodule cells.

 

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation carried out by the legume-rhizobia partnership is the main natural entry of nitrogen in ecosystems and in sustainable agriculture. This partnership relies in the continuous exchange of nutrients between the partners. Among them, transition metal delivery from the host plant cell to the endosymbiotic bacteria living within is critical for the activity of essential enzymes involved in nodule development, in creating the physico-chemical conditions for nitrogen fixation to work, and in nitrogen fixation itself. In this review work, we present the recent advances in our understanding of how metals are provided for nitrogen fixation and highlight the areas that still require additional research.

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Original Paper:

González-Guerrero, M., Navarro-Gómez, C., Rosa-Núñez, E., Echávarri-Erasun, C., Imperial, J., Escudero, V. 2023. Forging a symbiosis: transition metal delivery in symbiotic nitrogen fixation. New Phytologist. DOI: 10.1111/nph.19098


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