The lncRNA is a mediator of -controlled activity in nodule initiation.

The hallmark of the legume lncRNA (), involved in rhizobium-induced nodulation, is the presence of a highly conserved stretch of 24 nucleotides, designated box2, preceded by a small open-reading-frame (sORF) coding for a peptide of 12 to 13 amino acids. Although there is a well-established link between and nodulation, it is not fully clear by which mechanism functions in this process. Here, we show that a region harboring box2 can complement nodule formation in an knock-out mutant (). The sequence of box2 bears the characteristics of a target mimic. We show that the artificial target mimic can indeed complement the reduced capability of nodule formation in , and that box2 exhibits target mimic activity in a transient luciferase assay. In addition, the introduction of a -resistant form of also elevates the capacity to form nodules in We conclude that effectuates nodule initiation by posttranscriptional upregulation of the target , which encodes an essential transcription factor in this step of the nodulation process.