Dark septate endophytes (DSE) may facilitate plant growth and stress tolerance in stressful ecosystems. However, little is known about the response of plants to non-host DSE fungi isolated from other plants, especially under drought condition. This study aimed to seek and apply non-host DSE to evaluate their growth promoting effects in a desert species, Ammopiptanthus mongolicus, under drought condition. Nine DSE strains isolated from a super-xerophytic shrub, Gymnocarpos przewalskii, were identified and used as the non-host DSE. And DSE colonization rate (30–35%) and species composition in the roots of G. przewalskii were first reported. The inoculation results showed that all DSE strains were effective colonizers and formed a strain-dependent symbiosis with A. mongolicus. Specifically, one Darksidea strain, Knufia sp., and Leptosphaeria sp. increased the total biomass of A. mongolicus compared to non-inoculated plants. Two Paraconiothyrium strains, Phialophora sp., and Embellisia chlamydospora exhibited significantly positive effects on plant branch number, potassium and calcium content. Two Paraconiothyrium and Darksidea strains particularly decreased plant biomass or element content. As A. mongolicus plays important roles in fixing moving sand and delay desertification, the ability of certain DSE strains to promote desert plant growth indicates their potential use for vegetation recovery in arid environments.
Reciprocal symbiosis of > 70% of terrestrial vascular plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi provides the fungi with fatty acids and sugars. In return, AM fungi facilitate plant phosphate (Pi) uptake from soil. However, how AM fungi handle Pi transport and homeostasis at the symbiotic interface of AM symbiosis is poorly understood.Here, we identify an SPX (SYG1/Pho81/XPR1) domain-containing phosphate transporter, RiPT7 from Rhizophagus irregularis. To characterize the RiPT7 transporter, we combined subcellular localization and heterologous expression studies in yeasts with reverse genetics approaches during the in planta phase.The results show that RiPT7 is conserved across fungal species and expressed in the intraradical mycelia. It is expressed in the arbuscules, intraradical hyphae and vesicles, independently of Pi availability. The plasma membrane-localized RiPT7 facilitates bidirectional Pi transport, depending on Pi gradient across the plasma membrane, whereas the SPX domain of RiPT7 inhibits Pi transport activity and mediates the vacuolar targeting of RiPT7 in yeast in response to Pi starvation. Importantly, RiPT7 silencing hampers arbuscule development of R. irregularis and symbiotic Pi delivery under medium-to low-Pi conditions.Collectively, our findings reveal a role for RiPT7 in fine-tuning of Pi homeostasis across the fungal membrane to maintain the AM development.
Summary
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can form beneficial associations with the most terrestrial vascular plant species. AM fungi not only facilitate plant nutrient acquisition but also enhance plant tolerance to various environmental stresses such as drought stress. However, the molecular mechanisms by which AM fungal mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades mediate the host adaptation to drought stimulus remains to be investigated. Recently, many studies have shown that virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) and host‐induced gene silencing (HIGS) strategies are used for functional studies of AM fungi. Here, we identify the three HOG1 (High Osmolarity Glycerol 1)‐MAPK cascade genes RiSte11, RiPbs2 and RiHog1 from Rhizophagus irregularis. The expression levels of the three HOG1‐MAPK genes are significantly increased in mycorrhizal roots of the plant Astragalus sinicus under severe drought stress. RiHog1 protein was predominantly localized in the nucleus of yeast in response to 1 M sorbitol treatment, and RiPbs2 interacts with RiSte11 or RiHog1 directly by pull‐down assay. Importantly, VIGS or HIGS of RiSte11, RiPbs2 or RiHog1 hampers arbuscule development and decreases relative water content in plants during AM symbiosis. Moreover, silencing of HOG1‐MAPK cascade genes led to the decreased expression of drought‐resistant genes (RiAQPs, RiTPSs, RiNTH1 and Ri14‐3‐3) in the AM fungal symbiont in response to drought stress. Taken together, this study demonstrates that VIGS or HIGS of AM fungal HOG1‐MAPK cascade inhibits arbuscule development and expression of AM fungal drought‐resistant genes under drought stress.
Brassinosteroids (BR) and Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) symbiosis play an important role in improving plant growth and development. Previous studies have shown that there is a complex regulatory network between phytohormones and AM symbiosis.
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