Investigating how legumes establish a nutrient exchange with rhizobia during nodule formation

The project will investigate whether four previously identified nodule-specific amino acid transporters are critical for nodule formation in Medicago truncatula. I will also determine whether these transporters are regulated by peptide hormone signalling or whether they are regulated by nod factors in a peptide hormone-independent pathway. If we can elucidate the role of these nodulation-specific transporters it may be possible to better understand how nod factor perception results in nodule formation. A secondary aim of the project is to gain a better understanding of amino acid transporters given their central role in nutrient exchange and plant growth, as we may be able to manipulate them to increase yield in agricultural crops. The results of this research would also have broader implications for improving seed setting and other important processes in agricultural crops.