Functional domain analysis of the Remorin protein LjSYMREM1 in Lotus japonicus

PLoS One. 2012;7(1):e30817. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030817. Epub 2012 Jan 23.

Abstract

In legumes rhizobial infection during root nodule symbiosis (RNS) is controlled by a conserved set of receptor proteins and downstream components. MtSYMREM1, a protein of the Remorin family in Medicago truncatula, was shown to interact with at least three receptor-like kinases (RLKs) that are essential for RNS. Remorins are comprised of a conserved C-terminal domain and a variable N-terminal region that defines the six different Remorin groups. While both N- and C-terminal regions of Remorins belonging to the same phylogenetic group are similar to each other throughout the plant kingdom, the N-terminal domains of legume-specific group 2 Remorins show exceptional high degrees of sequence divergence suggesting evolutionary specialization of this protein within this clade. We therefore identified and characterized the MtSYMREM1 ortholog from Lotus japonicus (LjSYMREM1), a model legume that forms determinate root nodules. Here, we resolved its spatio-temporal regulation and showed that over-expression of LjSYMREM1 increases nodulation on transgenic roots. Using a structure-function approach we show that protein interactions including Remorin oligomerization are mainly mediated and stabilized by the Remorin C-terminal region with its coiled-coil domain while the RLK kinase domains transiently interact in vivo and phosphorylate a residue in the N-terminal region of the LjSYMREM1 protein in vitro. These data provide novel insights into the mechanism of this putative molecular scaffold protein and underline its importance during rhizobial infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology*
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Fabaceae / genetics
  • Fabaceae / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
  • Genetic Speciation
  • Lotus* / genetics
  • Lotus* / metabolism
  • Lotus* / physiology
  • Medicago truncatula / genetics
  • Medicago truncatula / metabolism
  • Phosphoproteins / chemistry*
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Phosphoproteins / physiology*
  • Phylogeny
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry*
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Proteins / physiology*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Multimerization / genetics
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary / physiology
  • Root Nodules, Plant / genetics
  • Root Nodules, Plant / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Symbiosis / genetics
  • Symbiosis / physiology
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Plant Proteins
  • remorin