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bioRxiv · 10.1101/531103

Mucoromycotina fine root endophyte fungi form nutritional mutualisms with vascular plants.

Hoysted, G. A.·Jacob, A. S.·Kowal, J.·Gieseman, P.·Bidartondo, M. I.·Duckett, J. G.·Gebauer, G.·Rimington, W. R.·Schornack, S.·Pressel, S.·Field, K. J.
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Abstract

Fungi and plants have engaged in intimate symbioses that are globally widespread and have driven terrestrial biogeochemical processes since plant terrestrialisation >500 Mya. Recently, hitherto unknown nutritional mutualisms involving ancient lineages of fungi and non-vascular plants have been discovered. However, their extent and functional significance in vascular plants remains uncertain. Here, we provide first evidence of abundant carbon-for-nitrogen exchange between an early-diverging vascular plant (Lycopodiaceae) and Mucoromycotina (Endogonales) fine root endophyte regardless of changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the same fungi also colonize neighbouring non-vascular and flowering plants. These findings fundamentally change our understanding of the evolution, physiology, interrelationships and ecology of underground plant-fungal symbioses in terrestrial ecosystems by revealing an unprecedented nutritional role of Mucoromycotina fungal symbionts in vascular plants.

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Hoysted, G. A., Jacob, A. S., Kowal, J., Gieseman, P., Bidartondo, M. I., Duckett, J. G., Gebauer, G., Rimington, W. R., Schornack, S., Pressel, S., Field, K. J.. 2019-01-26. Mucoromycotina fine root endophyte fungi form nutritional mutualisms with vascular plants.. https://doi.org/10.1101/531103

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