Mycena species can be opportunist-generalist plant root invaders
(2023) In Environmental Microbiology 25(10). p.1875-1893- Abstract
Traditional strict separation of fungi into ecological niches as mutualist, parasite or saprotroph is increasingly called into question. Sequences of assumed saprotrophs have been amplified from plant root interiors, and several saprotrophic genera can invade and interact with host plants in laboratory growth experiments. However, it is uncertain if root invasion by saprotrophic fungi is a widespread phenomenon and if laboratory interactions mirror field conditions. Here, we focused on the widespread and speciose saprotrophic genus Mycena and performed (1) a systematic survey of their occurrences (in ITS1/ITS2 datasets) in mycorrhizal roots of 10 plant species, and (2) an analysis of natural abundances of 13C/15N... (More)
Traditional strict separation of fungi into ecological niches as mutualist, parasite or saprotroph is increasingly called into question. Sequences of assumed saprotrophs have been amplified from plant root interiors, and several saprotrophic genera can invade and interact with host plants in laboratory growth experiments. However, it is uncertain if root invasion by saprotrophic fungi is a widespread phenomenon and if laboratory interactions mirror field conditions. Here, we focused on the widespread and speciose saprotrophic genus Mycena and performed (1) a systematic survey of their occurrences (in ITS1/ITS2 datasets) in mycorrhizal roots of 10 plant species, and (2) an analysis of natural abundances of 13C/15N stable isotope signatures of Mycena basidiocarps from five field locations to examine their trophic status. We found that Mycena was the only saprotrophic genus consistently found in 9 out of 10 plant host roots, with no indication that the host roots were senescent or otherwise vulnerable. Furthermore, Mycena basidiocarps displayed isotopic signatures consistent with published 13C/15N profiles of both saprotrophic and mutualistic lifestyles, supporting earlier laboratory-based studies. We argue that Mycena are widespread latent invaders of healthy plant roots and that Mycena species may form a spectrum of interactions besides saprotrophy also in the field.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-05-15
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Environmental Microbiology
- volume
- 25
- issue
- 10
- pages
- 1875 - 1893
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:37188366
- scopus:85159273534
- ISSN
- 1462-2912
- DOI
- 10.1111/1462-2920.16398
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8e61225b-b885-43d5-8cfa-8e53f60caa26
- date added to LUP
- 2023-08-15 09:04:35
- date last changed
- 2025-05-04 11:15:18
@article{8e61225b-b885-43d5-8cfa-8e53f60caa26,
abstract = {{<p>Traditional strict separation of fungi into ecological niches as mutualist, parasite or saprotroph is increasingly called into question. Sequences of assumed saprotrophs have been amplified from plant root interiors, and several saprotrophic genera can invade and interact with host plants in laboratory growth experiments. However, it is uncertain if root invasion by saprotrophic fungi is a widespread phenomenon and if laboratory interactions mirror field conditions. Here, we focused on the widespread and speciose saprotrophic genus Mycena and performed (1) a systematic survey of their occurrences (in ITS1/ITS2 datasets) in mycorrhizal roots of 10 plant species, and (2) an analysis of natural abundances of <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>15</sup>N stable isotope signatures of Mycena basidiocarps from five field locations to examine their trophic status. We found that Mycena was the only saprotrophic genus consistently found in 9 out of 10 plant host roots, with no indication that the host roots were senescent or otherwise vulnerable. Furthermore, Mycena basidiocarps displayed isotopic signatures consistent with published <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>15</sup>N profiles of both saprotrophic and mutualistic lifestyles, supporting earlier laboratory-based studies. We argue that Mycena are widespread latent invaders of healthy plant roots and that Mycena species may form a spectrum of interactions besides saprotrophy also in the field.</p>}},
author = {{Harder, Christoffer Bugge and Hesling, Emily and Botnen, Synnøve S. and Lorberau, Kelsey E. and Dima, Bálint and von Bonsdorff-Salminen, Tea and Niskanen, Tuula and Jarvis, Susan G. and Ouimette, Andrew and Hester, Alison and Hobbie, Erik A. and Taylor, Andy F.S. and Kauserud, Håvard}},
issn = {{1462-2912}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{05}},
number = {{10}},
pages = {{1875--1893}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Environmental Microbiology}},
title = {{Mycena species can be opportunist-generalist plant root invaders}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.16398}},
doi = {{10.1111/1462-2920.16398}},
volume = {{25}},
year = {{2023}},
}