Gene expression in Rhizoglomus irregulare at two different time points of mycorrhiza establishment in Helianthus annuus roots, as revealed by RNA-seq analysis

• Published in: Mycorrhiza 2020-05, Vol.30 (2-3), p.373-387
• Main Authors: Vangelisti, Alberto, Turrini, Alessandra, Sbrana, Cristiana, Avio, Luciano, Giordani, Tommaso, Natali, Lucia, Giovannetti, Manuela, Cavallini, Andrea
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 14-3-3 protein; Actin; Agricultural ecosystems; Agriculture; Ammonia; Arbuscular mycorrhizas; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosynthesis; Calcium ions; Calcium metabolism; Calcium-binding protein; Calmodulin; Desaturation; Ecology; Ecosystem; Fatty acids; Forestry; Fungi; Gene expression; Glomeromycota; Helianthus; Helianthus annuus; Inoculation; Iron; Kinases; Life cycles; Life Sciences; Lipid metabolism; Lipids; Microbiology; Mycorrhizae; Nutrition; Original Article; Plant diversity; Plant growth; Plant nutrition; Plant Roots; Plant Sciences; Protein kinase; Protein transport; Protein turnover; Protein-serine/threonine kinase; Proteins; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA-Seq; Steroids; Symbionts; Symbiosis; Transcriptomics; Tubulin; Zinc
• ISSN: 0940-6360; 1432-1890
• DOI: 10.1007/s00572-020-00950-2

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a fundamental role in plant growth and nutrition in natural and agricultural ecosystems. Despite the importance of such symbionts, the different developmental changes occurring during the AMF life cycle have not been fully elucidated at the molecular level. Here, the RNA-seq approach was used to investigate Rhizoglomus irregulare specific and common transcripts at two different time points of mycorrhizal establishment in Helianthus annuus in vivo. Four days after inoculation, transcripts related to cellular remodeling (actin and tubulin), cellular signaling (calmodulin, serine/threonine protein kinase, 14-3-3 protein, and calcium transporting ATPase), lipid metabolism (fatty acid desaturation, steroid hormone, and glycerophospholipid biosynthesis), and biosynthetic processes were detected. In addition to such transcripts, 16 days after inoculation, expressed genes linked to binding and catalytic activities; ion (K + , Ca 2+ , Fe 2+ , Zn 2+ , Mn 2+ , Pi, ammonia), sugar, and lipid transport; and those involved in vacuolar polyphosphate accumulation were found. Knowledge of transcriptomic changes required for symbiosis establishment and performance is of great importance to understand the functional role of AMF symbionts in food crop nutrition and health, and in plant diversity in natural ecosystems.