Symbiotic transcriptome (common bean / rhizobium) of the response to abiotic stress

The effectiveness of the atmospheric N-fixation process occurring in the legume-rhizobia symbiosis (symbiotic nitrogen fixation = SNF) is highly dependent on the adequate gene expression both in the macro- and micro-symbiont. One of our research interests is to perform combined transcriptome analyses of the Rhizobium etli bacteroids and the common bean nodule cells to generate integral knowledge of global gene expression and regulation in this symbiosis. Such project is done in collaboration with the group of L. Girard from the research program on Functional Genomics of Prokaryotes in our Center. The project focuses in the bacteroid/nodule transcriptome of SNF common bean plants under abiotic stress such as oxidative stress (produced by herbicides or metal toxicity) and drought. We are using genetically modified bacterial strains or plant cultivars that have shown advantages in their response / adaptation to abiotic stress.