Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41120889›Full record

ArticleBMC plant biology2025

Comparative transcriptomics reveals differential carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in roots and nodules of Rhizobia-Inoculated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

Bao-Fu Lu, Wen-Juan Kang, Shang-Li Shi, Fang Jing, Jian Guan

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC plant biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Structure-informed engineering of plant-microbe interactions.The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology · 2026
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Bao-Fu LuKey Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of Ministry of Education, College of Pratacultural Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China.
Wen-Juan KangKey Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of Ministry of Education, College of Pratacultural Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China. kangwj@gsau.edu.cn.
Shang-Li ShiKey Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of Ministry of Education, College of Pratacultural Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China. shishl@gsau.edu.cn.
Fang JingKey Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of Ministry of Education, College of Pratacultural Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China.
Jian GuanKey Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of Ministry of Education, College of Pratacultural Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, 730070, China.

Funding

The Joint Fund for Counterpart Support Research of China Agricultural University No. GSAU-DKZY-2024-002The Open Project of Key Laboratory of Pratacultural Ecosystems of Ministry of Education (Gansu Agricultural University) No. KLGE-2022-01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe symbiotic nitrogen-fixing system formed between alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and rhizobia requires precise regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism to sustain their high-energy-demand system. However, metabolic divergence between roots and nodules remains poorly characterized.

resultsUsing comparative transcriptomics, we analyzed gene expression profiles in pink nodules (PN), white nodules (WN), Pink nodule roots (PNR), white nodule roots (WNR), non-nodule roots (NNR) and control roots (CKR) from rhizobia-inoculated plants at 35 days post-inoculation. Key findings revealed metabolic specialization between tissues: PN exhibited elevated expression of lipid catabolism genes (MsECHIA, MsACX) and key genes of the TCA cycle regulators, driving direct energy supply for nitrogenase activity. PNR, WNR preferentially expressed glycolysis (MsPKP2) and pentose phosphate pathway (MsG6PD5) genes to convert photoassimilates into dicarboxylic acids via a directional transport system to nodules. WN showed enriched fatty acid elongation genes (MsKCR1, MsHACD2), suggesting compensatory synthesis of structural lipid to maintain symbiotic interfaces under carbon limitation. NNR, CKR retained starch metabolism dominance. Weighted geneco-expression network analysis revealed that symbiotic signaling synchronizes nodule lipid degradation with root carbon repartitioning to prioritize photoassimilate allocation to nodules. Nodulated roots may supplement nodule energetics through lipid precursor synthesis or storage lipid hydrolysis, thereby forming a "root-nodule metabolic relay" mechanism. Our results demonstrate that the alfalfa-rhizobia symbiosis establishes a hierarchical energy distribution network through tissue-specific regulation of metabolic genes, coordinating nitrogen fixation efficiency with energy supply homeostasis.

conclusionsThis study elucidates metabolic coordination mechanisms underlying legume-rhizobial symbiosis, providing a theoretical framework for optimizing symbiotic energy economics through targeted gene editing approaches.

Indexed as

Carbohydrate MetabolismLipid MetabolismMedicago sativaPlant RootsRhizobiumRoot Nodules, PlantTranscriptomeGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, PlantSymbiosisAlfalfaCarbohydrate metabolismLipid metabolismRhizobiumSymbiotic nitrogen fixation

Identifiers

PMID41120889
PMCPMC12538827

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.