Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the symbiotic relationships between plants and soil microorganisms, specifically focusing on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia, highlighting their evolutionary significance and molecular mechanisms involved in symbiotic interactions [2][3][4]. Group 1: Symbiotic Relationships - Plants have formed beneficial symbiotic relationships with soil microorganisms, such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia) and nutrient-providing fungi (mycorrhizae) [4]. - Approximately 80% of terrestrial plants have the ability to form mycorrhizal symbiosis, which enhances phosphorus absorption [2]. - Leguminous plants evolved a specific symbiotic system with rhizobia around 60 million years ago, allowing them to fix atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms [2]. Group 2: Common Symbiotic Signaling Pathway (CSSP) - The core genes and regulatory modules governing these two symbiotic systems are highly concentrated in a molecular pathway known as the Common Symbiotic Signaling Pathway (CSSP) [3]. - Understanding the CSSP is crucial for decoding plant-microbe interactions and is considered a theoretical foundation for achieving a green agricultural revolution [3]. Group 3: Molecular Mechanisms - The study published in Science reveals that the Formin family protein SYFO2 mediates the molecular mechanism of rhizobial infection in leguminous plants [4][6]. - SYFO2 is essential for the formation of infection threads, which allow rhizobia to enter host cells, and its transcription is regulated by the specific transcription factor NIN [6]. - The same gene also plays a role in the intracellular infection process of mycorrhizal fungi in legumes and is conserved in non-leguminous crops like tomatoes, indicating potential for engineering nitrogen-fixing capabilities in these crops [6][7]. Group 4: Future Implications - The research elucidates the common mechanisms for establishing symbiosis between bacteria and fungi in plant cells, providing new insights for enhancing or designing crop relationships with beneficial microorganisms [7].

Core Insights - The Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Awards for 2024 announced a total of 206 awarded projects, with an increase of 10 in the Natural Science category compared to the previous year [1] - The only agricultural project to win the first prize in the Natural Science category is "The Symbiotic Mechanism of Plants and Microorganisms," led by Wang Ertao, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences [1] Group 1: Research Achievements - Wang Ertao has focused on plant-microbe symbiosis since returning to China in 2013, publishing multiple research results in international journals [1] - His research enables the cultivation of rice varieties with high symbiotic efficiency and the development of "fertilizer-reducing and efficiency-increasing" microbial agents for crops like soybeans [1][2] - Key findings include the discovery that fatty acids are the main carbon source plants provide to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, overturning the previous belief that sugars were the primary source [2] - The team revealed the molecular mechanisms regulating phosphorus signaling networks in plants, addressing a significant scientific challenge in the field of mycorrhizal symbiosis [2] Group 2: Agricultural Applications - The research has laid the groundwork for breeding high-efficiency rice varieties and applying mycorrhizal fungi in agricultural production [2][4] - A new rice variety, "Gan Jun Rice No. 1," has been developed, which maintains yield and quality while reducing chemical fertilizer use by 50% [4] - The team also found that applying beneficial microorganisms can enhance soybean yields, especially in low-nitrogen conditions, contributing to reduced fertilizer use and agricultural pollution [5] Group 3: Future Prospects - Future research may lead to the development of more beneficial microbial agents for farmers, supporting sustainable agricultural development in China [5]