Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is a complex process in which legumes interact with rhizobia under
nitrogen starvation. In this study, we found that
myotubularin phosphatase (
MtMP) is mainly expressed in roots and nodules in Medicago truncatula.
MtMP promotes autophagy by dephosphorylating
PtdIns3P on autophagosomes. The mp mutants inoculated with rhizobia showed a significant reduction in
nitrogenase activity and significantly higher number of mitochondria than those of wild-type plants under
nitrogen starvation, indicating that
MtMP is involved in mitophagy of the
infection zone. Mitophagy may provide
carbon skeletons and
nitrogen for the development of bacteroids and the reprogramming of infected cells. In conclusion, we found, for the first time, that
myotubularin phosphatase is involved in autophagy in plants.
MtMP-involved autophagy plays an active role in symbiotic nitrogen fixation. These results deepen our understanding of symbiotic nitrogen fixation.