VSENOD5, VSENOD12 AND VSENOD40 EXPRESSION DURING RHIZOBIUM-INDUCED NODULE FORMATION ON VICIA-SATIVA ROOTS

We isolated ENOD5, ENOD12 and ENOD40 homologues from Vicia sativa and studied their expression pattern during Rhizobium-induced module forma tion, Comparison of the VsENOD40 nucleotide sequence with the pea, soy bean and alfalfa ENOD40 sequences showed that the sequences contain tw o conserved regions, called region I and region II. Comparison of all the potential open reading frames (ORFs) showed that all the five diff erent ENOD40 clones encode a highly conserved small polypeptide of 12 or 13 amino acids encoded by an ORF located in region I. Furthermore w e studied with in situ hybridization the expression pattern of VsENOD5 , VsENOD12 and VsENOD40 during Rhizobium-induced nodule formation, Alt hough the expression of these genes is largely similar to that of the pea counterparts, differences where found for the expression of VsENOD 12 and VsENOD40 in Vicia. VsENOD12 is expressed in the whole prefixati on zone II, whereas in pea ENOD12 is only expressed in the distal part of this zone. VsENOD40 is expressed in the uninfected cells of interz one II-III, while in pea ENOD40 is expressed in both the uninfected an d infected cells of this zone.