A double-negative feedback loop between NtrBC and a small RNA rewires nitrogen metabolism in legume symbionts

Root nodule endosymbioses between diazotrophic rhizobia and legumes provide the largest input of combined N to the biosphere, thus representing an alternative to harmful chemical fertilizers for sustainable crop production. Rhizobia have evolved intricate strategies to coordinate N assimilation for...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: García Tomsig, Natalia Isabel|||0000-0002-1161-8709, García Rodriguez, Fernando M., Guedes García, Sabina K., Millán, Vicenta, Becker, Anke, Robledo Garrido, Marta, Jiménez Zurdo, José I.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Cantabria (UC)
Repositorio:UCrea Repositorio Abierto de la Universidad de Cantabria
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.unican.es:10902/36124
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10902/36124
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Riboregulation
Rhizobia
Alpha-proteobacteria
Nitrogen fixation
Sinorhizobium meliloti
Two-component regulatory systems
Descripción
Sumario:Root nodule endosymbioses between diazotrophic rhizobia and legumes provide the largest input of combined N to the biosphere, thus representing an alternative to harmful chemical fertilizers for sustainable crop production. Rhizobia have evolved intricate strategies to coordinate N assimilation for their own benefit with N2 fixation to sustain plant growth. The rhizobial N status is transduced by the NtrBC two-component system, the seemingly ubiquitous form of N signal transduction in Proteobacteria. Here, we show that the regulatory sRNA NfeR1 (nodule formation efficiency RNA) of the alfalfa symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti is transcribed from a complex promoter repressed by NtrC in a N-dependent manner and feedback silences ntrBC by complementary base-pairing. These findings unveil a more prominent role of NtrC as a transcriptional repressor than hitherto anticipated and a novel RNA-based mechanism for NtrBC regulation. The NtrBC-NfeR1 double-negative feedback loop accurately rewires symbiotic S. meliloti N metabolism and is likely conserved in ?-rhizobia.