Altering ureide transport in nodulated soybean results in whole-plant adjustments of metabolism, assimilate partitioning, and sink strength

Abstract

Legumes develop a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that are housed in root nodules and fix atmospheric di-nitrogen (N2) to ammonia. In soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) nodules, the final products of nitrogen (N) fixation are amino acids, and the ureides allantoin and allantoic acid that also serve as the major long-distance N transport forms. Recently, we have shown that increased expression of UPS1 (ureide permease 1) in soybean nodules results in enhanced ureide export from nodules with positive effects on N fixation and seed yield. Here, we demonstrate that changes in the ureide transport processes trigger alterations in allantoin and allantoic acid pools and partitioning throughout the transgenic plants. They further result in adjustments in amino acid availability in, and translocation to, root and shoot sinks. In addition, leaf carbon (C) capture, assimilation and allocation to sinks are improved, accommodating the increased nodule function, and root and shoot growth. Overall, we demonstrate that enhanced ureide partitioning in nodulated soybean leads to a complex rebalancing of N and C acquisition, metabolism, and transport processes with positive consequences for above- and below-ground vegetative biomass, and whole-plant N and C gains.