The functional and molecular evolution of genes involved in plant-bacterial symbioses

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Laura Rose
• Subject Area: Evolution and Systematics of Plants and Fungi
• Term: from 2008 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 64181507

We will investigate the molecular evolution of the genes involved in the interaction between Lotus and its rhizobial symbiont. We will characterize the levels of nucleotide variation at two loci critical in the recognition of the bacterial symbiont, namely NFR1 and NFR5. In combination with evolutionary genetic analyses, infection assays will be conducted to determine the recognition phenotype between hosts and symbionts. Allelic variants from the wild and/or modified by site-direct mutagenesis will be transformed into the appropriate mutant lines to pinpoint the specific amino acid residues associated with inter-species recognition.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants