RLK — Medicago truncatula

Summary

MTR_7G062940 (MtRLK) encodes a protein with L-type lectin receptor kinase and serine/threonine kinase domains. The gene product exhibits coreceptor activity, histidine kinase activity, sugar binding, and protein homodimerization activity, and localizes to the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, cytosol, and pollen aperture. In barrel medic, MtRLK is associated with nitrogen fixation, lateral root development, somatic embryogenesis, organogenesis, pollen aperture formation, and ectodomain cleavage. It is linked to defense responses against oomycetes and fungi, immune response, cell death, inhibition of salinity response, response to salt and salicylate, and regulation of growth. Overexpression studies connect MtRLK to salt tolerance and pathogen resistance. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to seed germination, seed weight, seed size, chlorophyll content, root hair length, and disease tolerance.