豆科植物与根瘤菌建立特异的共生关系, 在寄主根部产生固氮根瘤。此过程包含了共生信号识别与传递、根瘤菌侵染、根瘤形成以及固氮功能实现等生物学事件。研究人员已经从2种豆科模式植物蒺藜苜蓿(Medicago truncatula)和百脉根(Lotus japonicus)的共生固氮体系中, 筛选到许多与根瘤菌共生相关的突变体及其相对应的功能基因, 建立起包含结瘤因子识别、共生信号传递和转录响应在内的早期共生信号途径。该文对豆科植物早期共生信号途径的新进展进行了综述。

Legumes have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria known as rhizobia, which induce the formation of a nitrogen-fixing nodules in the host. This symbiotic process includes Nod factor recognition and signaling, rhizobial infection, nodule formation, and establishment of functional (nitrogen-fixing) symbiosis. Genetic screens in model legumes Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus have identified symbiotic mutants that are blocked at different stages in the legume-rhizobium interaction. An early symbiotic signal transduction pathway is established that contains Nod factor recognition, signal transduction, and transcriptional response. In this review, we survey recent progress in understanding these aspects of the interaction.