Molecular biologist René Geurts of Wageningen University & Research has been elected a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO). This scientific organisation focuses on promoting research in molecular biology. The election as an EMBO member recognises Geurts' research on symbiosis between bacteria and plants, in which bacteria extract nitrogen from the air and supply it to plants.
"I consider the election mainly an honour and an appreciation for the research my team in Wageningen has shaped," says René. "EMBO is a fantastic organisation committed to top-notch molecular biology research, which it promotes with meetings, training and courses. It is also a community of scientists with overlapping interests, however diverse the research topics may be. So this network is definitely a positive boost for my own research and new collaborations."
René has been working in Wageningen for his entire scientific career, since 1992. Nitrogen-fixing rhizobium symbiosis has always been central to his research. "The interaction between rhizobium bacteria and in particular leguminous plants has attracted the attention of scientists since its discovery in the late 19th century," he says.
René Geurts.
Growing without fertiliser
That interaction between plant and bacteria leads to the formation of a unique organ on the plant's root, the root tuber, which houses rhizobium. "It is relevant to understand why rhizobium does not trigger immune responses in the plant when it invades," says René. "But surely most relevant is the nitrogen-fixing capacity of the bacteria, and how leguminous plants benefit from it. This property allows leguminous plants to grow independently of external nitrogen sources (fertilisation)."
There has long been a dream of transferring this trait to other plants. But despite intensive research into the molecular mechanisms and genetics underlying nitrogen-fixing rhizobium symbiosis, they have so far failed to achieve this goal. This has led René to take a different approach to research.
"My team's research has provided unique insights into the evolution of nitrogen-binding root nodule symbiosis," he explains. "Using non-flowery plants, we have found two genes that may be key to the origin of this interaction. These genes are now the starting point for a new strategy to enable nitrogen fixation by rhizobium bacteria in other plants as well."
Other scientists also elected
Besides the scientist from Wageningen, 119 other scientists have been elected members of EMBO. They deal with issues such as how infectious diseases spread, the intricacies of nutrient cycles in the ocean and the links between the biology of our brains and our emotions.
René, along with the other new members, will be officially welcomed at a special meeting in Heidelberg, Germany, where the organisation's headquarters are located, at the end of October.
Source: WUR