GRAS Genes and the Symbiotic Green Revolution

Abstract

The symbiotic relationship between legumes and their resident nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia) begins when the plant senses the bacteria and develops a specialized nodule to house them. The signaling system that triggers nodule development is now known to activate two newly described transcription factors ([ Kaló et al. ][1] and [ Smit et al. ][2]). In their Perspective, [Udvardi and Scheible][3] explain that this new information completes a missing link and that we can now trace the molecular events from initial rhizobium detection to nodulation gene activation. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/308/5729/1786 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/308/5729/1789 [3]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/308/5729/1749