Expansins are non-enzymatic cell wall proteins
that mediate plant growth by catalyzing loosening of cell
walls without lysing the wall polymers. Advances in the field
of bioinformatics have facilitated the prediction of the mem-
bers of expansin gene family across several model plants.
Expansins constitutes into four sub-families; α-expansin, β-
expansin, expansin-like A and expansin-like B. Biological
functions of expansin gene family include diverse aspects of
plant growth and development, shoot and root elongation,
leaf morphogenesis, flower and fruit development, embryo-
genesis, pollen tube growth, stress tolerance, etc. Recent stud-
ies have demonstrated the role of expansins in plant-
symbiotic interactions. The present review reveals the factors
that govern plant-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and
legume-rhizobia symbioses; and the genes that participate in
these diverse symbiont interactions. Further, we focus on the
expression profiles and the functions of expansins during
plant-AMF and legume-rhizobia interactions. The key roles
of expansin proteins during AMF invasion, arbuscule forma-
tion, rhizobial infection and nodule organogenesis were un-
covered during symbioses. This review summarizes discov-
eries that support the key and versatile roles of various
expansin members in

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• Plant-symbiont interactions: the functional role of expansins