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Jean-Michel Ané

Assistant Professor of Agronomy

Lab Home Page:

Ané Lab

Address:

348 Horticulture-Moore Hall-Plant Sciences

Telephone:

262-6457

Email:

jane@wisc.edu

Research Fields:

Plant Genetics

Developmental Genetics

Arabidopsis

Research Interests

Molecular genetics of plant-microbe symbioses

Research Description

Our primary research interest is the understanding of how symbiotic associations between plants and microbes develop. The vast majority of higher plants establish symbiotic relationships with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that improve their ability to acquire phosphate and nitrogen from the soil. In addition to establishing mycorrhizal symbioses, legumes also enter into a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with bacteria known as rhizobia that results in the formation of root nodules.

An elegant combination of microbial genetics and biochemistry elucidated bacterial and plant factors that mediate the often-high level of host specificity observed in the rhizobia-legume symbiosis. Legumes secrete an array of flavonoid compounds from their roots, which activate the expression of bacterial nodulation genes. These genes encode proteins involved in the synthesis and secretion by the bacterial partner of lipochitooligosaccharidic (LCO) molecules, named Nod factors, harboring various substituents along their backbone. The nature of these substituents varies by bacterial species and confers host specificity. Legume roots are exquisitely sensitive to Nod factors, and can respond to picomolar concentrations. A similar molecular dialog has been recently identified in arbuscular mycorrhization with roots exuding stigolactones and fungi producing diffusible Myc factors. Both Nod and Myc factors are able to stimulate lateral root development and promote plant growth.

Our research aims at understanding how symbiotic signals are perceived by host plants and their effects on symbiotic interactions, plant development and plant-pathogen interactions.

We are utilizing and developing tools in the model legume Medicago truncatula to unravel these molecular processes. We are also transferring information gained from model plants to major crops such as soybean, alfalfa and corn to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by symbiotic associations to our modern agriculture.

Representative Publications

• Zhu H., Riely B.K., Burns N.J. and Ané J.M. 2006. Tracing non-legume orthologs of legume genes required for nodulation and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses. Genetics. 172:2491-2499.
• Riely B.K., Mun J.H. and Ané J.M. 2006. Plant gene discovery in the rhizobia-legume symbiosis. Molecular Plant Pathology. 7:197-207.
• Riely, B.K., Ané, J.M., Penmetsa, R.V. and Cook, D.R. 2004. Genetic and genomic analysis in model legume systems bring Nod factor signaling to center stage. Current Opinion in Plant Biology. 7:408-413.
• Ané J.M., Kiss G.B., Riely B.K., Penmetsa R.V., Oldroyd G.E.D., Ayax C., Lévy J., Debellé F., Baek J.M., KalÛ P., Rosenberg C., Roe B.A., Long S.R., Dénarié J. and Cook D.R. 2004. Medicago truncatula DMI1 required for bacterial and fungal symbioses in legumes. Science. 303:1364-1367.
• Lévy J., Bres C., Geurts R., Chalhoub B., Kulikova O., Duc G., Journet E.P., Ané J.M., Lauber E., Bisseling T., Dénarié J., Rosenberg C. and Debellé F. 2004. A calcium calmodulin dependent protein kinase is required for nodulation and endomycorrhization. Science. 303:1361-1364.