NODULE INCEPTION recruits the lateral root developmental program for symbiotic nodule organogenesis

In order to better understand the commonalities and differences in lateral root and nodule development, we compared their organogenesis and correlated this with changes in gene expression. To initiate lateral roots in Medicago truncatula we turned 2-day-old seedlings 135°, before returning them to their original axis of growth, while for nodule initiation we applied droplets of Sinorhizobium meliloti on the susceptibility zone of the root. Medicago truncatula mRNA samples from root tissues after 12-72 hours of lateral root initiation. segment of root tissues in 0-168 hours after applying Sinorhizobium meliloti in wild type (jemalong cultivar Jester) was compared with mock treatments. Samples of root segment from cre-1,nin-1 mutants was collected after 12,24 hours after applying Sinorhizobium meliloti and 24 hours for lbd16-1, and lbd16/lbd11 mutants which were also compared with mock treated samples. The mRNA samples from overexpression of LBD11,LBD16 was collected from hairy root transformations of Medicago truncatula