In root-nodule symbiosis, rhizobial invasion and nodule organogenesis is host controlled. In most legumes, rhizobia enter through infection-threads and nodule primordium in the cortex is induced from a distance. But in dalbergoid legumes like Arachis hypogaea, rhizobia directly invade cortical cells through epidermal cracks to generate the primordia. Herein we report the transcriptional dynamics with the progress of symbiosis in A. hypogaea at 1dpi: invasion; 4dpi: nodule primordia; 8dpi: spread of infection in nodule-like structure; 12dpi: immature nodules containing rod-shaped rhizobia; and 21dpi: mature nodules with spherical symbiosomes. Expression of putative orthologue of symbiotic genes in 'crack-entry' legume A. hypogaea was compared with infection thread adapted model legumes. The contrasting features were (i) higher expression of receptors like LYR3, EPR3 as compared to canonical NFRs (ii) late induction of transcription factors like NIN, NSP2 and constitutive high expression of ERF1, EIN2, bHLH476 and (iii) induction of divergent pathogenesis responsive PR-1 genes. Additionally, symbiotic orthologues of SymCRK, ROP6, RR9, SEN1 and DNF2 were not detectable and microsynteny analysis indicated the absence of RPG homologue in diploid parental genomes of A. hypogaea. The implications are discussed and a molecular framework that guide 'crack-entry' symbiosis in A. hypogaea is proposed.

27In root-nodule symbiosis, rhizobial invasion and nodule organogenesis are host controlled. In