Rhizobium symbiosis modulates the accumulation of arsenic in Medicago truncatula via nitrogen and NRT3.1-like genes regulated by ABA and linalool

Arsenic (As) contamination is a worldwide problem and threatens human health. Here, we found that Rhizobium symbiosis can improve the tolerance to arsenate [As(V)], and a wild type R. meliloti Rm5038 symbiosis can significantly decrease the accumulation of As in Medicago truncatula shoots. The As content in plants could be decreased by nitrogen and the mutation of nitrate transporter NRT3.1. The expression of M. truncatula NRT3.1-like gene NRT3.1L1 could reverse the As(V)-tolerance phenotype of the Arabidopsis nrt3.1 mutant. Rm5038 symbiosis significantly increased the level of nitrogen in the shoot and reduced the expression of NRT3.1Ls in plants afflicted by As(V). The genetic analyses of aba2–1, pyr1/pyl1/2/4/5/8, and abi1–2/abi2–2/hab1–1/pp2ca-1 mutants revealed that abscisic acid (ABA) signaling regulates the tolerance of plants to As(V). ABA and linalool could promote the expression of NRT3.1Ls, however, their root biosynthesis was inhibited by ammonium, the first form of nitrogen fixed by Rhizobium symbiosis. Moreover, ABA and linalool may also control As and nitrate accumulation in Rhizobium symbionts via signaling pathways other than ammonia and NRT3.1Ls. Thus, Rhizobium symbiosis modulates the accumulation of As in plants via nitrogen and NRT3.1Ls regulated by ABA and linalool, which provides novel approaches to reduce As accumulation in legume crops.