The LysM receptor‐like kinase Sl<scp>LYK</scp>10 regulates the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in tomato

<jats:title>Summary</jats:title><jats:p> <jats:list list-type="bullet"> <jats:list-item><jats:p>Most plants have the ability to establish a symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AM</jats:styled-content>) fungi, which allows better plant nutrition. A plant signaling pathway, called the common symbiosis signaling pathway (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CSSP</jats:styled-content>), is essential for the establishment of both <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AM</jats:styled-content> and root nodule symbioses. The <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CSSP</jats:styled-content> is activated by microbial signals. Plant receptor(s) for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AM</jats:styled-content> fungal signals required for the activation of the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CSSP</jats:styled-content> and initial fungal penetration are currently unknown.</jats:p></jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:p>We set up conditions to use virus‐induced gene silencing (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VIGS</jats:styled-content>) in <jats:italic>Solanum lycopersicum</jats:italic> to study the genes potentially involved in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AM</jats:styled-content>.</jats:p></jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:p>We show that the lysin motif receptor‐like kinase Sl<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">LYK</jats:styled-content>10, whose orthologs in legumes are essential for nodulation, but not for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AM</jats:styled-content>, and Sl<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CC</jats:styled-content>a<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">MK</jats:styled-content>, a component of the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CSSP</jats:styled-content>, are required for penetration of the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AM</jats:styled-content> fungus <jats:italic>Rhizophagus irregularis</jats:italic> into the roots of young tomato plants.</jats:p></jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:p>Our results support the hypothesis that the <jats:italic><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">SILYK</jats:styled-content>10</jats:italic> ancestral gene originally played a role in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AM</jats:styled-content> and underwent duplication and neofunctionalization for a role in nodulation in legumes. Moreover, we conclude that <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">VIGS</jats:styled-content> is an efficient method for fast screening of genes playing major roles in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AM</jats:styled-content>.</jats:p></jats:list-item> </jats:list> </jats:p>