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Content archived on 2022-12-23

Cloning and analysis of key legume symbiotic genes with the use of synteny between pea (Pisum sativum L.) and Lotus japonicus (Regel.) K. Larsen genomes

Objective

This project focuses on two genes regulating nitrogen metabolism and nitrogen fixation in legumes. One of these genes (Nin) has been characterised at a molecular level in Lotus japonicus, and it appears to correspond to the pea gene Sym35. The second of these genes is Sym31of pea, and this has not been characterised at the molecular level.

The project brings together three Russian and two EU labs. These three have complementary skills. The lab in Aarhus has pioneered the use of Lotus japonicus as a model system, and isolated Nin. The St Petersburg lab has been a world leader in the phenotypic characterisation of pea nodulation mutants, and has worked in close collaboration with the Novosibirsk lab in the generation of mutants and their genetic analysis. The Moscow lab has contributed greatly to the biochemistry of nodule function. The Norwich lab is a mainly known for genetic mapping in pea, and for comparative genetics in legumes. Thus, the collection of these five groups provides the skills and experience needed to characterise nodulation defective mutants in pea.

There are two scientific and one organisational aims in this project. The scientific goals are first to compare and contrast the function of the Nin gene in two different nodule types and the second is to make substantial progress towards the isolation of a second gene regulating nodule development (Sym31).

The selection of these genes is not arbitrary. Sym35 is the best-characterised nodulation mutant at a molecular level, and for pea Sym31 is the best characterised at a phenotypic level. Of all the symbiotic mutations, which could be studied in pea, these two are the first choice. In addition substantial progress on the characterisation of Sym35 has been made by CR2 in collaboration with CR1. The PsNin gene was mapped in pea as collaboration between CR1 and CO. This collaboration is thus well poised to make substantial progress in the characterisation of the Sym35 gene.

There is clearly a need to investigate additional steps in the control of nodule development, and this project is well placed to initiate the fine mapping of Sym31, which lies close to a gene already cloned by CO, and which has been placed on the Lotus japonicus map by C1. The tools are available to undertake this fine mapping and comparative mapping for gene isolation, but these tools are distributed between the various EU and Russian labs. This project will bring these together, and the key components are the multiply marked genetic stocks developed in Russia, and the high throughput marker systems put into practice by the Norwich lab.

The organisational aim is twofold. First of all the coordination of the genetics in the Russian and EU labs will lead to greater efficiency, and generate new scientific opportunities. Secondly it is important to extract useful genetics from model species for crops, and this is precisely the aim of the present project.

Call for proposal

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Funding Scheme

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Coordinator

John Innes Centre
EU contribution
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Address
Colney Lane
NR4 7UH Norwich
United Kingdom

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Total cost
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Participants (4)