**4.6. Protein re-localization**

The mechanism of lncRNA in protein relocalization was first described in *G. max* and *Medicago sativa* [61, 62]. The symbiotic interactions among soil bacteria and leguminous plants are regulated by *Enod40* gene (early nodulin gene) which is induced by nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the pericycle and dividing cortical cells of roots [24, 63]. The diverse occurrence of *Enod40* lncRNA was suggested by its presence in non-leguminous plants, such as rice [26, 64]. The secondary structure of *Enod40* lncRNA is highly stable and has five highly conserved domains. The ORF of *Enod40* is very short and synthesis two short peptides. These short peptides regulate the biological activities of Enod40 and consequently help in nodulation [65, 66]. In *M. truncatula*, *Enod40* has been reported in the re-localization of MtRBP1 (*Medicago truncatula* RNA binding protein 1). *Enod40* showed direct interaction with MtRBP1 and re-localized the protein during nodulation process from nuclear speckles into cytoplasmic granules [25].
