Genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of the symbiosis between a leguminous plant and a nitrogen-fixing bacterium.

ABSTRACT: The mutualistic association between leguminous plants and endosymbiotic rhizobial bacteria is a paradigmatic example of a symbiosis driven by metabolic exchanges. Here, we report the reconstruction and modelling of a genome-scale metabolic network of Medicago truncatula (plant) nodulated by Sinorhizobium meliloti (bacterium). The reconstructed nodule tissue contains five spatially distinct developmental zones and encompasses the metabolism of both the plant and the bacterium. Flux balance analysis (FBA) suggests that the metabolic costs associated with symbiotic nitrogen fixation are primarily related to supporting nitrogenase activity, and increasing N₂-fixation efficiency is associated with diminishing returns in terms of plant growth. Our analyses support that differentiating

SUBMITTER: diCenzo GC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7244743 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature