= Flavonoid
A <flavonoid> is a member of a broad family of <plant> <metabolites> sharing related carbon-ring structures. Members contribute to functions including pigmentation and chemical signaling; membership in the family does not assign one universal biological role.
In a <legume>-rhizobial interaction, selected root-exuded <flavonoids> act as signals that promote <bacterial> symbiotic responses. This is a useful example of <signal transduction> between different <organisms>, rather than simply a <nutrient> moving from one partner to another.
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