Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Response of Arabidopsis thaliana roots to lipo-chitooligosaccharide from Bradyrhizobium japonicum and other chitin-like compounds

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Plant Growth Regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs) are bacteria-to-plant signals required for the establishment of rhizobia–legume nitrogen fixing symbioses. The ability of LCO [Nod Bj V (C18:1, MeFuc)] isolated from B. japonicum (strain 532C), and of oligomers of chitosan (tetramer, pentamer) and chitin (pentamer) to affect the developmental morphology of roots in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh ecotype Columbia (Col-0) was assessed using an interactive scanner-based image analysis system. LCOs have been shown to play a role in plant organogenesis at nanomolar concentrations. LCO and the chitin pentamer promoted root growth and development in Arabidopsis at concentrations of 10 nM and 100 μM, respectively. The LCO treated Arabidopsis plants had about 35% longer roots than untreated control plants. Similarly, treatment with 100 μM chitin pentamer (CHIT5) resulted in 26% longer roots than the untreated plants; however, chitosan oligomer (CH4 or CH5) treated plants did not differ from the control plants at either concentration (100 or 1 μM). Both LCOs and the chitin pentamer at higher concentrations increased root surface area, mean root diameter and number of root tips. However, leaf area increase was observed only in plants treated with LCO at 10 nM.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CH4:

Chitosan tetramer

CH5:

Chitosan pentamer

CHIT5:

Chitin pentamer

HPLC:

High performance liquid chromatography

LCO:

Lipo-chitooligosaccharides

References

  • Almaraz JJ, Zhou X, Souleimanov A, Smith D (2007) Gas exchange characteristics and dry matter accumulation of soybean treated with Nod factors. J Plant Physiol 164:1391–1393

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arsenault JS, Poulteur S, Messier C, Guay R (1995) WinRHIZO, a root-measuring system with a unique overlap correction method. Hortsci 30:906 (abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Atti S, Bonnell R, Prasher S, Smith DL (2005) Response of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) under chronic water deficit to LCO application during flowering and pod filling. Irrig Drain 54:15–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baier R, Schiene K, Kohring B, Flaschel E, Niehaus K (1999) Alfalfa and tobacco cells react differentially to chitin oligosaccharides and Sinorhizobium meliloti nodulation factors. Planta 210:157–164

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bakkers J, Semino CE, Stroband H, Kune JW, Robbins PW, Spaink HP (1997) An important developmental role for oligosaccharides during early embryogenesis of cyprinid fish. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:7982–7986

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barber MS, Bertram RE, Ride JP (1989) Chitin oligosaccharides elicit lignification in wounded wheat leaves. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 34:3–12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boot KJM, van Brussel AAN, Tak T, Spaink HP, Kijne JW (1999) Lipo-chitinoligosaccharides from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae reduce auxin transport capacity in Vicia sativa sub sp. Nigra roots. Mol Plant Microbe Inter 12:839–844

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson RW, Sanjuan J, Bhatt UR, Glushka J, Spaink HP, Wijfies AHM, van Brussel AAN, Sotkkermans TJW, Peters N, Stacey G (1993) The structure and biological activities of the lipo-oligosccharide nodulation signals produced by type I and type II strains of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. J Biol Chem 268:18372–18381

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen C, McIver J, Yang Y, Bai Y, Schultz B, McIver A (2007) Foliar application of lipo-chitooligosaccharides (Nod factors) to tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) enhances flowering and fruit production. Can J Plant Sci 87:365–372

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper JB, Long S (1994) Morphogenetic rescue of Rhizobium meliloti nodulation mutants by trans-zeatin secretion. Plant Physiol 6:215–225

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • D’Haeze W, Holsters M (2002) Nod factor structures, responses, and perception during initiation of nodule development. Glycobiol 12:79R–105R

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Jong AJ, Heidstra R, Spaink HP, Hartog MV, Hendriks T, Schafio FL, Terzi M, Bisseling T, van Kammen A, de Vries SC (1993) A plant somatic embryo mutant is rescued by rhiozobial lipo-oligosaccharides. Plant Cell 5:615–620

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dénarié J, Cullimore J (1993) Lipo-oligosaccharide nodulation factors: a new class of signaling molecules mediating recognition and morphogenesis. Cell 74:951–954

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dénarié J, Debellé F, Promé JC (1996) Rhizobium lipo-chitooligosaccharide nodulation factors: signaling molecules mediating recognition and morphogenesis. Ann Rev Biochem 65:503–535

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dyachok JV, Tobin AE, Price NPJ, von Arnold S (2000) Rhizobial nod factors stimulate somatic embryo development in Picea abies. Plant Cell Rep 3:290–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Felix G, Regenass M, Boller T (1993) Specific perception of subnanomolar concentrations of chitin fragments by tomato cells: induction of extracellular alkalinization, changes in protein phosphorylation, and establishment of a refractory state. Plant J 4:307–316

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Felix G, Baureithel K, Boller T (1998) Desensitization of the perception system for chitin fragments in tomato cells. Plant Physiol 117:643–650

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goedhart J, Bono JJ, Bisseling T, Gadella TW Jr (2003) Identical accumulation and immobilization of sulfated and non-sulfated Nod factors in host and non-host root hair cell walls. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 16:884–892

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan W (2003) Signal compounds involved with plant perception and response to microbes alter plant physiological activities and growth of crop plants. PhD thesis, McGill University, Montreal, QC, pp 50–67

  • Khan W, Prithiviraj B, Smith DL (2008) Nod factor [Nod Bj V (C18:1, MeFuc)] and lumichrome enhance photosynthesis and growth of corn and soybean. J Plant Physiol 165:1342–1351

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Minami E, Kouchi H, Carlson RW, Cohn JR, Kolli VK, Day RB, Ogawa T, Stacey G (1996a) Cooperative action of lipo-chitin nodulation signals on the induction of the early nodulin, ENOD2, in soybean roots. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 9:574–583

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Minami E, Kouchi H, Cohn JR, Ogawa T, Stacey G (1996b) Expression of early nodulin, ENOD40, in soybean roots in response to various lipo-chitin signal molecules. Plant J 10:23–32

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olah B, Briere C, Bécard G, Denarie J, Gough C (2005) Nod factors and a diffusible factor from Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi stimulate lateral root formation in Medicago truncatula via the DMI1/DMI2 signaling pathway. Plant J 44:195–207

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prithiviraj B, Zhou X, Souleimanov A, Smith DL (2000) Differential response of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) genotypes to lipo-chitosaccharide Nod Bj V (C18:1 MeFuc). J Exp Bot 51:2045–2051

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prithiviraj B, Zhou X, Souleimanov A, Wajahatullah MK, Smith DL (2003) A host specific bacteria-to-plant signal molecule (Nod factor) enhances germination and early growth of diverse crop plants. Planta 216:437–445

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rinaudo M (2006) Chitin and chitosan: properties and applications. Progr Polymer Sci 31(7):603–632

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute Inc. (1989) Carry: SAS users guide version 6, p 1673

  • Schlaman HRM, Gisel AA, Quaedvlieg NE, Bloemberg GV, Lugtenberg BJ, Kijne JW, Potrykus I, Spaink HP, Sautter C (1997) Chitin oligosaccharides can induce cortical cell division in roots of Vicia sativa when delivered by ballistic microtargeting. Development 124:4887–4895

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shibuya N, Minami E (2001) Oligosaccharide signalling for defence responses in plant. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 59:23–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Souleimanov A, Prithiviraj B, Carlson RW, Jeyaretnam B, Smith DL (2002a) Isolation and characterization of the major nod factor of Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain 532C. Microb Res 157:25–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Souleimanov A, Prithiviraj B, Smith DL (2002b) The major Nod factor of Bradyrhizobium japonicum promotes early growth of soybean and corn. J Exp Bot 53:1929–1934

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spaink HP (1992) Rhizobial lipo-oligosaccharides: answers and questions. Plant Mol Biol 20:977–986

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spaink HP (2000) Root nodulation and infection factors produced by rhizobial bacteria. Annu Rev Microbiol 54:257–288

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spaink HP, Bloemberg GV, Wijfjes AHM, Ritsema T, Geiger O, López-Lara IM, Harteveld M, Kafetzopoulos D, van Brussel AAN, Kijne JW, Lugtenberg BJJ, van der Drift KMGM, Thomas-Oates JE, Potrykus I, Sautter C (1994) The molecular basis of host-specificity in the Rhizobium leguminosarum—plant interaction. In: Daniels MJ, Downie JA, Osbourn AE (eds) Advances in molecular genetics of plant-microbe interactions. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp 91–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Stacey G, Shibuya N (1997) Chitin recognition in rice and legumes. Plant Soil 194:161–169

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Staehelin C, Granado J, Muller J, Wiemeken A, Mellor RB, Felix G, Regenass M, Broughton WJ, Boller T (1994) Perception of Rhizobium nodulation factor by tomato cells and inactivation by root chitinases. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 91:2196–2200

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

W. Khan is grateful to FCAR and McGill University for the FCAR and McGill major fellowships and would also like to specially thank the Research Centre, College of Science, King Saud University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Wajahatullah Khan

  2. University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, RS, 99001-970, Brazil

    Carlos Costa

  3. Department of Plant Science, Macdonald Campus of McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore, Ste., Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada

    Alfred Souleimanov & Donald L. Smith

  4. Department of Environmental Sciences, Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Truro, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada

    Balakrishnan Prithiviraj

Authors
  1. Wajahatullah Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carlos Costa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alfred Souleimanov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Balakrishnan Prithiviraj
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Donald L. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Donald L. Smith.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Khan, W., Costa, C., Souleimanov, A. et al. Response of Arabidopsis thaliana roots to lipo-chitooligosaccharide from Bradyrhizobium japonicum and other chitin-like compounds. Plant Growth Regul 63, 243–249 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-010-9521-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-010-9521-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation