Abstract

KNOTTED-LIKE HOMEOBOX (KNOX) proteins are homeodomain containing transcription factors, and regulate many aspects of plant development through homo or heterodimerization with another group of TALE transcription factors known as BELL. In Medicago truncatula the MtKNOX3 gene is involved in nodule development. In this work, we hypothesized that MtKNOX3 involvement in the activation of cytokinin signaling during nodule development could be through heterodimerization with BELL proteins. Thereby, the expression of different BELL genes in Medicago was analyzed, and it was shown that the expression of Medtr8g078480 and Medtr8g098815 genes increases during nodule development. Besides, the Medtr8g078480 shows a co-expression pattern with MtKNOX3 at different developmental stages of nodule development. Afterward, the interaction of MtKNOX3 with the MtBELL1-2 (Medtr8g078480) protein was shown using docking, and their stability was analyzed by molecular dynamic simulation and mmpbsa methods. Moreover, the stability of MtKNOX3- Medtr8g078480 heterodimers was compared with the MtKNOX3 homodimer.

中文翻译：

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模拟蒺藜苜蓿共生结节发育中涉及的 KNOTTED-LIKE HOMEOBOX 3 蛋白的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用

摘要

KNOTTED-LIKE HOMEOBOX (KNOX) 蛋白是含有转录因子的同源结构域，通过与另一组称为 BELL 的 TALE 转录因子同源或异二聚化来调节植物发育的许多方面。在蒺藜苜蓿中，MtKNOX3基因参与根瘤发育。在这项工作中，我们假设 MtKNOX3 可能通过与 BELL 蛋白的异二聚化参与结节发育过程中细胞分裂素信号的激活。由此，对苜蓿中不同BELL基因的表达进行了分析，结果表明Medtr8g078480和Medtr8g098815基因的表达在根瘤发育过程中增加。此外，Medtr8g078480在结节发育的不同发育阶段显示出与MtKNOX3的共表达模式。随后，通过对接显示了MtKNOX3与MtBELL1-2（Medtr8g078480）蛋白的相互作用，并通过分子动力学模拟和mmpbsa方法分析了它们的稳定性。此外，将MtKNOX3-Medtr8g078480异二聚体的稳定性与MtKNOX3同二聚体进行比较。