Article
Ecology
Romy Moukarzel, Hayley J. Ridgway, Lauren Waller, Alexis Guerin-Laguette, Natalia Cripps-Guazzone, E. Eirian Jones
Summary: This study manipulated AMF communities in grapevine rootstock and found that specific AMF communities had differential effects on grapevine rootstock growth and nutrient uptake. The presence of its own AMF community generally improved the performance of a rootstock. AMF spore diversity and the relative abundance of certain species played important roles in competition and growth outcomes.
Article
Plant Sciences
Eric C. Pereira, Inigo Zabalgogeazcoa, Juan B. Arellano, Unai Ugalde, Beatriz Vazquez R. de Aldana
Summary: Functional symbiosis with Diaporthe atlantica can help tomato plants adapt to drought stress by improving photosynthetic capacity, nutrient uptake, enzymatic antioxidant response, and osmo-protectant accumulation.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Andrew Ryan Passer, Shelly Applen Clancey, Terrance Shea, Marcia David-Palma, Anna Floyd Averette, Teun Boekhout, Betina M. Porcel, Minou Nowrousian, Christina A. Cuomo, Sheng Sun, Joseph Heitman, Marco A. Coelho
Summary: The study reveals the mechanism of self-compatibility in the fungal species Cryptococcus depauperatus, which is closely related to human fungal pathogens. Through comparative genomics and analysis of mutants, the researchers demonstrate that the sexual cycle of C. depauperatus involves meiosis and is orchestrated by a mating receptor and pheromone ligand pair. These findings provide insights into transitions between sexual reproduction modes in the fungal kingdom.
Article
Ecology
Anouk van't Padje, Paola Bonfante, Luisa Tartaglia Ciampi, E. Toby Kiers
Summary: This study investigated how extreme weather events affect phosphorus (P) uptake by plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, finding that soil flooding had a significant negative impact on plant survival, fungal colonization, and P uptake. However, the presence of mycorrhizal fungi affected plant biomass allocation without increasing plant survival or total biomass. Future research should focus on various plant-fungal combinations to create predictive models for extreme weather events.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xin-Ran Li, Jongho Sun, Doris Albinsky, Darius Zarrabian, Raphaella Hull, Tak Lee, Edwin Jarratt-Barnham, Chai Hao Chiu, Amy Jacobsen, Eleni Soumpourou, Alessio Albanese, Wouter Kohlen, Leonie H. Luginbuehl, Bruno Guillotin, Tom Lawrensen, Hui Lin, Jeremy Murray, Emma Wallington, Wendy Harwood, Jeongmin Choi, Uta Paszkowski, Giles E. D. Oldroyd
Summary: The study reveals that cereals can perceive lipochitooligosaccharides (LCOs) under nutrient starvation, promoting symbiotic association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. This is surprising as LCO perception was previously thought to be specific to legumes in establishing symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The findings have implications for enhancing sustainable productivity in cereals by utilizing both mycorrhizal and rhizobial associations.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
William B. Sanders, Benjamin J. Brisky
Summary: The dispersal of ascospores in lichen-forming fungi is facilitated by air currents, and the presence of an epihymenial algal layer allows for efficient co-dispersal of the algal symbiont.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Haruka Shinkawa, Masataka Kajikawa, Tomoyuki Furuya, Ryuichi Nishihama, Hirokazu Tsukaya, Takayuki Kohchi, Hideya Fukuzawa
Summary: This study discovered the important role of DYRKs protein kinases, specifically the MpYAK1 subfamily, in regulating plant growth and development in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. MpYAK1 was found to be involved in maintaining plant responses to light conditions and nutrient signaling.
PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrew M. Hosie, Jane Fromont, Kylie Munyard, Nerida G. Wilson, Diana S. Jones
Summary: This study investigated the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of sponge-inhabiting barnacles in Western Australian waters, identifying high levels of host specificity among these organisms. Using molecular and morphological methods, the study identified 42 MOTUs of barnacles representing four genera, showing that COI is a more reliable barcoding region. The phylogenetic analysis revealed non-monophyletic genera and well-supported clades of MOTUs, indicating host specialists and the significant role of host usage dynamics in the evolutionary history of these organisms.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Sylvain Brun, Hsiao-Che Kuo, Chris E. Jeffree, Darren D. Thomson, Nick Read
Summary: This study used live-cell fluorescence imaging to observe the dynamic behavior of male and female nuclei during sexual reproduction in the model fungus Neurospora crassa for the first time. The specific movement of resident female nuclei within the trichogyne and the extraordinary migration of male nuclei to the protoperithecium were revealed, with male nuclei exhibiting dramatic speed and deformation not previously observed in a living organism. This research opens up new possibilities for studying cell signaling during sexual reproduction in fungi and nuclear dynamics in eukaryotes more broadly.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Le-Zheng Qin, Zhaxi Suonan, Seung Hyeon Kim, Kun-Seop Lee
Summary: This study showed that Zostera marina is more sensitive to nitrogen enrichment in sediments, resulting in positive effects on both vegetative growth and sexual reproduction. Phosphorus enrichment only slightly increased plant growth with limited influence on sexual reproduction.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Manuela Dal Forno, James D. Lawrey, Masoumeh Sikaroodi, Patrick M. Gillevet, Eric Schuettpelz, Robert Lucking
Summary: Recent studies have revealed remarkable diversity in Dictyonema s.lat. basidiolichens, with photobionts belonging to Rhizonema. Analysis of 765 new cyanobacterial sequences from 635 specimens collected from 18 countries identified three main divisions of Rhizonema, showing no evidence of photobiont-mycobiont co-speciation. Molecular clock estimations suggest that Rhizonema species are older than fungal species in Dictyonemateae, supporting the hypothesis of lichens representing fungal farmers.
Article
Biology
Tania Hernandez-Hernandez, Elizabeth C. Miller, Cristian Roman-Palacios, John J. Wiens
Summary: The study compared the characteristics of speciation across different taxa, including ecological divergence of species, reproductive isolating barriers, and rates of diversification. The results indicate that allopatric speciation is common in all major groups, while full sympatry of sister species is more common in some marine animals.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Pengjie Hu, Linxia Liu, Weixin Ke, Xiuyun Tian, Linqi Wang
Summary: Cbc1 protein plays a crucial role in infectious and sexual cycles of Cryptococcus neoformans, and its absence results in the disruption of asexual spore formation.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Seema Sangwan, Radha Prasanna
Summary: The symbiotic relationship between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is now known to be influenced by mycorrhizal helper bacteria (MHB), which play a crucial role in promoting the development and functioning of AMF by influencing spore germination, mycelial growth, root colonization, metabolic diversity, and biocontrol of soil borne diseases; MHB also enhance the efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis by triggering plant growth factors, leading to better nutrient uptake by plants.
Article
Biology
Maryam Abdal, Nematollah Etemadi, Ali Nikbakht, Rahim Amirikhah
Summary: This study assessed the impacts of single and consortia inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on rosemary plants under long-term salinity stress. The results showed that AMF inoculation improved plant growth and salt tolerance, enhanced nutrient uptake and antioxidant capacity. However, using multiple AMF species did not necessarily lead to better outcomes compared to using a single species.
Article
Mycology
Philipp Resl, Kevin Schneider, Martin Westberg, Christian Printzen, Zdenek Palice, Goran Thor, Alan Fryday, Helmut Mayrhofer, Toby Spribille
Article
Plant Sciences
Philipp Resl, Helmut Mayrhofer, Stephen R. Clayden, Toby Spribille, Goran Thor, Tor Tonsberg, John W. Sheard
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Toby Spribille, Veera Tuovinen, Philipp Resl, Dan Vanderpool, Heimo Wolinski, M. Catherine Aime, Kevin Schneider, Edith Stabentheiner, Merje Toome-Heller, Goran Thor, Helmut Mayrhofer, Hanna Johannesson, John P. McCutcheon
Article
Geography, Physical
Milan Chytry, Michal Horsak, Jiri Danihelka, Nikolai Ermakov, Dmitry A. German, Michal Hajek, Petra Hajkova, Martin Koci, Svatava Kubesova, Pavel Lustyk, Jeffrey C. Nekola, Vera Pavelkova Ricankova, Zdenka Preislerova, Philipp Resl, Milan Valachovic
Article
Biology
Philipp Resl, Fernando Fernandez-Mendoza, Helmut Mayrhofer, Toby Spribille
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2018)
Article
Plant Sciences
Toby Spribille, Alan M. Fryday, Sergio Perez-Ortega, Mans Svensson, Tor Tonsberg, Stefan Ekman, Hakon Holien, Philipp Resl, Kevin Schneider, Edith Stabentheiner, Holger Thues, Jan Vondrak, Lewis Sharman
Article
Mycology
David Diaz-Escandon, David L. Hawksworth, Mark Powell, Philipp Resl, Toby Spribille
Summary: The article reports the reclassification of the lichen originally misapplied as "Lecidea lichenicola" into a new genus Watsoniomyces; it is found not to be a specialist of chalk pebbles as previously thought; and describes for the first time a member of the class Lichinomycetes with an endolithic thallus.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tania Chavarria-Pizarro, Philipp Resl, Aleksandar Janjic, Silke Werth
Summary: Anthropogenic climate change has caused unprecedented temperature shifts in many ecosystems, leading organisms to adjust gene expression to cope with novel thermal conditions. Lobaria pulmonaria lichens demonstrate the ability to acclimate to new habitats through transcriptomic convergence, although their long-term survival may be impacted negatively by rising temperatures and decreasing precipitation levels associated with global climate change.
Review
Plant Sciences
Toby Spribille, Philipp Resl, Daniel E. Stanton, Gulnara Tagirdzhanova
Summary: This review explores the exchange of goods and services between fungus and phototroph in lichens and how it contributes to the success of both symbionts and their symbiosis. Lichen fungal symbionts have the unique characteristic of exposing most of their mycelium to an aerial environment. Phototrophs provide carbohydrates to the fungus, which are converted into specific polyols with multiple functions, including growth, respiration, and desiccation tolerance. Fungal symbionts provide protection against herbivory and light stress for phototrophs and influence fungal sex and morphogenesis. These interactions create a multiplayer marketplace that drives symbiont selection and lichen diversification.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Philipp Resl, Adina R. Bujold, Gulnara Tagirdzhanova, Peter Meidl, Sandra Freire Rallo, Mieko Kono, Samantha Fernandez-Brime, Hordur Gudmundsson, Olafur Sigmar Andresson, Lucia Muggia, Helmut Mayrhofer, John P. McCutcheon, Mats Wedin, Silke Werth, Lisa M. Willis, Toby Spribille
Summary: Contrary to other fungal symbioses, lichen fungal symbionts do not lose enzymes for plant cell-wall degradation when associated with a phototroph.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Tania Chavarria-Pizarro, Philipp Resl, Theresa Kuhl-Nagel, Aleksandar Janjic, Fernando Fernandez Mendoza, Silke Werth
Summary: Antibiotics primarily result from human activity and can influence the structure of biotic communities and the ecological functions of soil and water ecosystems. However, their effects in other terrestrial ecosystems have not been well-studied. In this study, we found that antibiotic treatments had significant effects on gene expression and viability of the lung lichen Lobaria pulmonaria and its associated bacteria. The observed stress responses in the symbiotic partners are likely a reaction to reduce cell damage caused by genotoxicity due to antibiotic exposure. This research is important for understanding gene expression and dynamics in symbiotic organisms in response to toxic environments.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Diaz-Escandon, Gulnara Tagirdzhanova, Dan Vanderpool, Carmen C. G. Allen, Andre Aptroot, Oluna Ceska, David L. Hawksworth, Alejandro Huereca, Kerry Knudsen, Jana Kocourkova, Robert Luecking, Philipp Resl, Toby Spribille
Summary: Ascomycota account for a significant proportion of named fungal species. By analyzing previously undersampled and uncultured lineages, researchers have discovered a new clade within Pezizomycotina that diverged over 300 million years ago. This clade, known as Lichinomycetes, includes diverse symbionts, endophytes, and mycorrhizae, and challenges traditional taxonomic classifications.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jasmin Almer, Philipp Resl, Hordur Gudmundsson, Denis Warshan, Olafur S. Andresson, Silke Werth
Summary: Photosymbiodemes are a unique form of lichen symbiosis involving a lichenized fungus, a cyanobacterium, and a green alga. This study examined the gene expression of different sectors of the lichen Peltigera britannica, comparing those with only cyanobacterial photobionts to those with both green algal and cyanobacterial photobionts. The results showed that specific symbiosis partners significantly influenced fungal gene expression, and the symbionts exhibited different responses to temperature increases.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Milan Chytry, Michal Horsak, Vit Syrovatka, Jiri Danihelka, Nikolai Ermakov, Dmitry A. German, Michal Hajek, Ondrej Hajek, Petra Hajkova, Veronika Horsakova, Martin Koci, Svatava Kubegova, Pavel Lustyk, Jeffrey C. Nekola, Zdenka Preislerova, Philipp Resl, Milan Valachovic
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2017)