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Poster

Session: Session 1 Presenting Authors at Posters (Evens)

P-404 - Enhancing Nitrogen Fixation by Targeting the transcriptional control of β-Glucan-Binding Protein 1 in Legumes

Tuesday, July 15, 2025
09:55 - 11:30  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Symbiosis and Mutualism (mycorrhiza and N-fixing Rhizobia)

    Presenting Author(s)

  • JS

    Jawahar Singh

    University of Cambridge
    CAMBRIDGE, England, United Kingdom

    • Author(s)

  • AG

    Aleksandr Gavrin

    Aarhus University
    Aarhus, Midtjylland, Denmark

  • SS

    Sebastian Schornack

    Sainsbury Laboratory (SLCU), University of Cambridge
    Cambridge, England, United Kingdom



Plants interact with diverse microorganisms, from harmful pathogens to beneficial symbionts. Among these, the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis in legumes is a critical mutualistic relationship where rhizobia colonize root nodules and convert atmospheric nitrogen into a plant-usable form. This process, essential for sustainable agriculture, is often constrained by regulatory mechanisms linked to plant defence pathways. Our research identifies GBP1 as a key regulator of nitrogen fixation efficiency in Medicago truncatula. β-Glucan-Binding Protein 1 (GBP1), part of a protein family associated with plant immunity, is specifically activated during symbiosis and suppresses nitrogenase activity in nodules. We found that GBP1 expression is controlled by a transcription factor involved in symbiotic signalling. Loss-of-function mutations in GBP1 significantly enhance nitrogen fixation without affecting nodule formation, highlighting its role as a critical checkpoint in symbiotic efficiency. Our findings suggest that plant defence genes have been co-opted to regulate symbiosis, limiting nitrogen fixation. Using Tnt1 insertion mutants and modifying cis-regulatory elements, we show that disrupting the transcription factor-GBP1 module improves nitrogen fixation while maintaining plant growth. This research offers a pathway to engineer legumes with enhanced nitrogen-fixing abilities, reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers and promoting sustainable agriculture.