loading page

The endophytic fungus Serendipita indica alters auxin distribution in Arabidopsis thaliana roots through alteration of auxin transport and conjugation to promote plant growth
  • +17
  • Stephan Pollmann,
  • Adrián González Ortega-Villaizán,
  • Eoghan King,
  • Manish K. Patel,
  • Marta-Marina Pérez-Alonso,
  • Sandra Scholz,
  • Hitoshi Sakakibara,
  • Takatoshi KIba,
  • Mikiko Kojima,
  • Yumiko Takebayashi,
  • Patricio Ramos,
  • Luis Morales-Quintana,
  • Sarah Breitenbach,
  • Ana Smolko,
  • Branka Salopek-Sondi,
  • Nataša Bauer,
  • Jutta Ludwig-Müller,
  • Anne Krapp,
  • Ralf Oelmüller,
  • Jesús Vicente-Carbajosa
Stephan Pollmann
Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas

Corresponding Author:stephan.pollmann@upm.es

Author Profile
Adrián González Ortega-Villaizán
Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas
Author Profile
Eoghan King
Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas
Author Profile
Manish K. Patel
Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas
Author Profile
Marta-Marina Pérez-Alonso
Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas
Author Profile
Sandra Scholz
Friedrich Schiller Universitat Jena Institut fur Allgemeine Botanik und Pflanzenphysiologie
Author Profile
Hitoshi Sakakibara
RIKEN Noshinkei Kagaku Kenkyu Center Joho Center
Author Profile
Takatoshi KIba
RIKEN Noshinkei Kagaku Kenkyu Center Joho Center
Author Profile
Mikiko Kojima
RIKEN Noshinkei Kagaku Kenkyu Center Joho Center
Author Profile
Yumiko Takebayashi
RIKEN Noshinkei Kagaku Kenkyu Center Joho Center
Author Profile
Patricio Ramos
Universidad de Talca Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas
Author Profile
Luis Morales-Quintana
Universidad Autonoma de Chile Sede Talca
Author Profile
Sarah Breitenbach
Technische Universitat Dresden Institut fur Botanik
Author Profile
Ana Smolko
Institut Ruder Boskovic
Author Profile
Branka Salopek-Sondi
Institut Ruder Boskovic
Author Profile
Nataša Bauer
Sveuciliste u Zagrebu
Author Profile
Jutta Ludwig-Müller
Technische Universitat Dresden Institut fur Botanik
Author Profile
Anne Krapp
Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin
Author Profile
Ralf Oelmüller
Friedrich Schiller Universitat Jena Institut fur Allgemeine Botanik und Pflanzenphysiologie
Author Profile
Jesús Vicente-Carbajosa
Centro de Biotecnologia y Genomica de Plantas
Author Profile

Abstract

Plants share their habitats with a multitude of different microbes. This close vicinity promoted the evolution of inter-organismic interactions between plants and many different microorganisms that provide mutual growth benefits both to the plant and the microbial partner. The symbiosis of Arabidopsis thaliana with the beneficial root colonizing endophyte Serendipita indica represents a well-studied system. Co-colonization of Arabidopsis roots with S. indica significantly promotes plant growth. Due to the notable phenotypic alterations of fungus-infected root systems, the involvement of a reprogramming of plant hormone levels, especially that of indole-3-acetic acid, has been suggested earlier. However, until now, the molecular mechanism by which S. indica promotes plant growth remains largely unknown. This study used comprehensive transcriptomics, metabolomics, reverse genetics, and life cell imaging to reveal the intricacies of auxin-related processes that affect root growth in the symbiosis between A. thaliana and S. indica. Our experiments revealed the essential role of tightly controlled auxin conjugation in the plant–fungus interaction. It particularly highlighted the importance of two GRETCHEN HAGEN 3 ( GH3) genes, GH3.5 and GH3.17, for the fungus infection-triggered stimulation of biomass production, thus broadening our knowledge about the function of GH3s in plants. Furthermore, we provide evidence for the transcriptional alteration of the PIN2 auxin transporter gene in roots of Arabidopsis seedlings infected with S. indica and demonstrate that this transcriptional adjustment affects auxin signaling in roots, which results in increased plant growth.
09 Feb 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
08 Apr 20241st Revision Received
10 Apr 2024Submission Checks Completed
10 Apr 2024Assigned to Editor
16 Apr 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
08 May 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending