Transition metal trafficking in biological nitrogen fixation

By Manuel González-Guerrero

Absctract : Biological nitrogen fixation, the conversion of N₂ into NH₃ by nitrogenase, is essential for the productivity of natural ecosystems. It is also one of the main sustainable alternatives to the overuse of polluting nitrogen fertilizers. At the core of this process are a number of metalloproteins, including nitrogenase itself, that require a steady supply of transition metals (iron, copper, molybdenum, …) to work.

However, transition metal bioavailability in soils is often limited and even more so when nitrogen fixation is carried out by an endosymbiotic interaction such as the legume-rhizobia partnership. Furthermore, the high levels of metalloenzymes required also determine the necessity of dedicated metal delivery systems. In this seminar, I will present our most recent advances in understanding specific metal allocation for biological nitrogen fixation and their implications towards engineering nitrogen fixation in crops.

13 june, 11am, Lynn Margulis Hall - PABS, INRAE Occitanie-Toulouse
https://inrae-fr.zoom.us/j/99563347332?pwd=eFg0bG1vTlVhaGlwL3pucS9ndFd1dz09
ID meeting : 995 6334 7332
Code : ManuelG24!

Key Publications:

• Navarro-Gómez C, León-Mediavilla J, Küpper H, Rodríguez-Simón M, Panganelli-López A, Wen J, Burén S, Mysore KS, Bokhari SNH, Imperial J, Escudero V, González-Guerrero M. (2024). Nodule-specific Cu⁺-chaperone NCR is required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation in Medicago truncatula root nodules. New Phytol. 241: 793-810
• González-Guerrero M, Navarro-Gómez C, Rosa-Núñez E, Echávarri-Erasun C, Imperial J, Escudero V (2023). Forging a symbiosis: Transition metal delivery in symbiotic nitrogen fixation. New Phytol. 239: 2113-2125.
• Castro-Rodríguez R, Escudero V, Reguera M, Gil-Diez P, Quintana J, Prieto RI, Kumar RK, Brear E, Grillet L, Wen J, Mysore KS, Walker EL, Smith PMC, Imperial J, González-Guerrero M (2021). Medicago truncatula Yellow Stripe-Like7 encodes a peptide transporter required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Plant Cell Environ. 44: 1908-1920
• Escudero V, Abreu I, Tejada-Jiménez M, Rosa-Núñez E, Quintana J, Prieto RI, Larue C, Wen J, Villanova J, Mysore KS, Argüello JM, Castillo-Michel H, Imperial J, González-Guerrero M (2020). Medicago truncatula Ferroportin2 mediates iron import into nodule symbiosomes. New Phytol. 228:194-209

Contact :

Manuel González-Guerrero : manuel.gonzalez@upm.es
Chercheur d'accueil : sylvain.merlot@univ-tlse3.fr