Medicago-Sinorhizobium-Ralstonia Co-infection Reveals Legume Nodules as Pathogen Confined Infection Sites Developing Weak Defenses (Current Biology)

Legume plants form root nodules, which host massive numbers of beneficial bacteria. Benezech et al. show that the symbiotic organs are vulnerable to infection by pathogen and that their defense ability is reduced. However, pathogens encounter confinement in the nodules, which prevents them spreading to non-symbiotic parts of the plant.