Exclusive rewards in mutualisms: ant proteases and plant protease inhibitors create a lock-key system to protect Acacia food bodies from exploitation.

Myrmecophytic Acacia species produce food bodies (FBs) to nourish ants of the Pseudomyrmex ferrugineus group, with which they live in an obligate mutualism. We investigated how the FBs are protected from exploiting nonmutualists. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the FB proteomes and consecutive protein sequencing indicated the presence of several Kunitz-type protease inhibitors (PIs).

Medicago truncatula increases its iron-uptake mechanisms in response to volatile organic compounds produced by Sinorhizobium meliloti.

Medicago truncatula represents a model plant species for understanding legume-bacteria interactions. M. truncatula roots form a specific root-nodule symbiosis with the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti.

Homologous recombination and dynamics of rhizobial genomes.

The nitrogen-fixing bacteria commonly known as rhizobia are attractive organisms due to their symbiotic association with legume plants. Their genomes contain a large number of redundant genetic elements. These reiterations might participate in homologous recombination events and lead to diverse genomic rearrangements.

Bacillus megaterium rhizobacteria promote growth and alter root-system architecture through an auxin- and ethylene-independent signaling mechanism in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Soil microorganisms are critical players in plant-soil interactions at the rhizosphere. We have identified a Bacillus megaterium strain that promoted growth and development of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and Arabidopsis thaliana plants. We used Arabidopsis thaliana as a model to characterize the effects of inoculation with B.