Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to genetically altered plants having a heterologous EPR3 or EPR3-like polypeptide or a modified EPR3 or EPR3-like polypeptide and/or having a heterologous EPR3a or EPR3a-like polypeptide or a modified EPR3a or EPR3a-like polypeptide, wherein the EPR3 or EPR3-like polypeptide and/or the EPR3a or EPR3a-like polypeptide provide increased selectivity for a beneficial commensal microbe as compared to a wild-type plant under the same conditions. Other aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of making such plants as well as cultivating these genetically altered plants. Additional aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of identifying a beneficial commensal microbe capable of interacting with a plant root microbiota.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to genetically altered LysM receptors. In particular, the present disclosure relates replacement of part or all of motifs in the LysM1 domain with the corresponding motifs of the LysM1 domain from a donor LysM receptor that can alter the affinity, selectivity, and/or specificity for an oligosaccharide, particularly for Nod factors (lipochitooligosaccharides (LCOs)). The present disclosure also relates to genetically altering LysM receptors in plants to include a modified LysM1 domain and to genetically altering LysM receptors in plants by replacement of part or all of motifs in the LysM1 domain. The present disclosure further relates to combining LysM1 domain modifications with modifications of LysM2 domains to include a hydrophobic patch or alter the hydrophobic patch, whereby the LysM2 domain modifications can alter the affinity, selectivity, and/or specificity for an oligosaccharide, particularly for Nod factors (lipochitooligosaccharides (LCOs)).

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relates to genetically altered LysM receptors. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a hydrophobic patch into the LysM2 domain which can increase affinity and/or selectivity for LCOs and by replacement of regions in the LysM1 domain with the corresponding regions of the LysM1 domain from a donor LysM receptor that can alter the affinity and/or selectivity for the oligosaccharide particularly for LCOs and can alter the specificity between LCO when using regions from a high affinity and specificity LCO LysM receptor such as a legume NFR1 receptor. The present disclosure also relates to genetically altering LysM receptors in plants to include a hydrophobic patch or alter the hydrophobic patch and to genetically altering LysM receptors in plants by replacement of regions in the LysM2 domain.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to genetically modified plants comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a heterologous receptor polypeptide. The plants are able to recognize lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs) through the heterologous receptor polypeptide. Other aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of making such plants.

Abstract: Formation of nitrogen fixing root nodules in legumes is induced by perception of lipochitin-oligosaccharide signal molecules secreted by compatible Rhizobium bacteria, which triggers a common symbiotic pathway. The present invention provides a spontaneous nodule formation (snf2) mutant, in which the formation of symbiotic nodules is spontaneous, leading to nodule development in the absence as well as in the presence of Rhizobium bacteria and/or exogenous rhizobial signals. The invention further provides an isolated DNA sequence encoding a mutant cytokinin-independent histidine kinase whose activity results in this ‘gain of function’ dominant phenotype of spontaneous nodule formation. Furthermore the snf2 gene is shown to confer a phenotype, characterised by regulated organogenesis of spontaneous nodules, to plants having a nodulation deficient genetic background.