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Lectin involvement in root‐hair tip adhesion as related to the Rhizobium ‐clover symbiosis
Author(s) -
Dazzo Frank B.,
Truchet Georges L.,
Kijne Jan W.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1982.tb00316.x
Subject(s) - root hair , lectin , symbiosis , biology , trifolium repens , adhesion , botany , rhizobium , cell adhesion , chemistry , cell , horticulture , biochemistry , inoculation , bacteria , genetics , organic chemistry , gene
Contact of adjacent root hairs of seedlings of white clover ( Trifolium repens L. cv. Ladino and Louisiana Nolin) led to cell‐cell adhesion of root hair tips. The involvement of the root lectin, trifoliin A, in this phenomen was examined in slide cultures of axenically grown seedlings. Trifoliin A was detected by indirect immunofluorescence on root hair tips, which had adhered to one another. Seedlings grown under conditions which specifically reduce the levels of this lectin on the root surface (e.g., in the presence of 15 m M NO 3 – or 5 m M 2‐deoxy‐ d ‐glucose) had significantly fewer adhesions of root hair tips. In addition, flushing the slide cultures with 20 m M 2‐deoxy‐ d ‐glucose resulted in an immediate 4‐fold reduction in frequency of tip adhesions. These results are consistent with the lectin cross‐bridging model, which predicts that cell‐cell adhesions would occur when trifoliin A on root hair tips contacts complementary glycosylated receptors on neighboring root hairs.