Carbon-nitrogen trading in symbiotic nodules depends on magnesium import

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation provides large amounts of nitrogen for global agricultural systems with little environmental or economic costs. The basis of symbiosis is the nutrient exchange occurring between legumes and rhizobia, but key regulators controlling nutrient exchange are largely unknown. Here, we reveal that magnesium (Mg), an important nutrient factor that preferentially accumulates in inner cortical cells of soybean nodules, shows the most positive correlation with nodule carbon (C) import and nitrogen (N) export. We further identified a pair of Mg transporter genes, GmMGT4 and GmMGT5, that are specifically expressed in the nodule cortex, modulating both nodule Mg import and C-N transport processes. The GmMGT4&5-dependent Mg import activates the activity of a plasmodesmata-located β-1,3-glucanase GmBG2 and consequently keeps plasmodesmata permeable for C-N transport in nodule inner cortical cells. Our studies discovered an important regulating pathway for host plants fine-tuning nodule C-N trading to achieve optimal growth, which may be helpful for optimizing nutrient management for soybean production. [Display omitted] •Carbon-nitrogen trading closely correlates with magnesium (Mg) import in nodules•GmMGT4&5 mediate Mg accumulation in the inner cortex of nodules•Mg facilitates plasmodesmal permeability through regulation of callose deposition•Mg activates the callose-degrading activity of GmBG2 Cao et al. demonstrate that the GmMGT4&5-dependent magnesium import modulates carbon-nitrogen trading by regulation of plasmodesmal permeability in soybean nodules.