RLK — Medicago truncatula

Summary

MTR_1G052275, designated MtRLK, encodes a transmembrane receptor serine/threonine kinase with a legume lectin domain, classified as an L-type lectin receptor kinase. The protein exhibits coreceptor activity, histidine kinase activity, sugar binding, and protein homodimerization activity. MtRLK is associated with diverse biological processes including nitrogen fixation, lateral root development, somatic embryogenesis, pollen aperture formation, organogenesis, and defense responses to oomycetes and fungi. It is linked to upregulation of innate immune response, inhibition of salinity response, response to salt and salicylate, cell death, and regulation of growth. The protein localizes to the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, cytosol, extracellular region, and pollen aperture. Overexpression studies connect MtRLK to salt tolerance and pathogen resistance. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to seed weight, seed size, chlorophyll content, root hair length, proline content, and disease tolerance.