Research Keyword: plant-fungal symbiosis

PEG-Mediated Protoplast Transformation of Penicillium sclerotiorum (scaumcx01): Metabolomic Shifts and Root Colonization Dynamics

Scientists developed a new method to genetically modify a beneficial fungus called Penicillium sclerotiorum by removing its cell wall and introducing new genes. They added a glowing green marker (GFP) to track the fungus as it colonizes tomato plant roots. The study shows that enzymatic treatment of seeds significantly improves how well the fungus attaches to roots, potentially helping plants grow better while revealing how the genetic modification affects the fungus’s internal chemistry.

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Leucocalocybe mongolica inoculation enhances rice growth by reallocating resources from flavonoid defense to development via MYB/bHLH/WRKY networks

A fungal strain called Leucocalocybe mongolica (LY9) can help rice plants grow bigger and healthier by improving how they use nutrients and sunlight. Interestingly, when plants grow better with this fungus, they produce fewer defensive compounds called flavonoids, but they still maintain some protective molecules. This research shows that the fungus helps plants decide to invest more energy in growth rather than defense, making it a promising natural fertilizer for farming.

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Fungal symbiont Mycena complements impaired nitrogen utilization in Gastrodia elata and supplies indole-3-acetic acid to facilitate its seed germination

Gastrodia elata is a special orchid that cannot make its own food and must rely entirely on a fungal partner called Mycena. Scientists discovered that the orchid has lost genes needed to use nitrogen and make growth hormones, while the fungus Mycena has kept these genes. By providing nitrogen and a hormone called auxin, the fungus helps the orchid seeds germinate and grow.

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Fungal alkaloids mediate defense against bruchid beetles in field populations of an arborescent ipomoea

Certain morning glory trees form partnerships with special fungi that produce protective chemicals called alkaloids. These chemicals are made by the fungi and travel through the plant to the seeds, where they protect them from seed-eating beetles. Trees with more effective fungal partners produce higher levels of these protective chemicals and suffer less damage from the beetles, demonstrating a remarkable example of how plants and fungi work together to survive in nature.

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