A mechanistic molecular test of the plant-sanction hypothesis in legume–rhizobia mutualism

The origin and persistence of mutualism is difficult to explain because of the widespread occurrence of exploitative, ‘cheating’ partners. As a policing strategy stabilising intraspecific cooperation, host sanctions against non-N 2 fixing, cheating symbionts have been proposed to stabilise mutualism...

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Published in:Acta oecologica (Montrouge) 2009-09, Vol.35 (5), p.664-667
Main Authors: Marco, Diana E., Pérez-Arnedo, Rebeca, Hidalgo-Perea, Ángeles, Olivares, José, Ruiz-Sainz, José E., Sanjuán, Juan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Bacteria
Biological and medical sciences
Cooperation
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Legume–rhizobia mutualism
Mechanistic molecular test
Plant-host sanctions
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Summary:The origin and persistence of mutualism is difficult to explain because of the widespread occurrence of exploitative, ‘cheating’ partners. As a policing strategy stabilising intraspecific cooperation, host sanctions against non-N 2 fixing, cheating symbionts have been proposed to stabilise mutualism in legume-rhizobium symbiosis. Mechanism of penalisations would include decreased nodular rhizobial viability and/or early nodule senescence. We tested these potential mechanisms of penalisations in split-root experiments using two soybean varieties and two rhizobial strains, a cooperative, normal N 2-fixing strain and an isogenic non-fixing derivative. We found no differences in the number of viable rhizobia recovered from nodules and no differential expression of a nodular senescence molecular marker. Thus, our results do not support the hypothesis of plant sanctions acting against cheating rhizobia in our experimental conditions.
ISSN:1146-609X
1873-6238
DOI:10.1016/j.actao.2009.06.005