Pervasive effects of an endophytic fungus on host genetic and phenotypic expression in a tropical tree (part 2)

ABSTRACT: Inoculation of endophyte-free (E-) Theobroma cacao leaves with Colletotrichum tropicale (E+), the dominant foliar fungal endophyte in healthy T. cacao, induced significant changes in the expression of hundreds of host genes. Further, E+ leaves exhibit enhanced pathogen resistance, increased lignin and cellulose content, reduced maximum rates of photosynthesis (Amax), and enrichment of nitrogen-15 and carbon-13 isotopes that all correspond to the changes in expression of specific functional genes in related pathways. Moreover, a cacao gene highly up-regulated in E+ leaves increases pathogen resistance apart from any direct endophyte effects. Thus, benefits of increased pathogen resistance in E+ plants are partially due to enhanced induction of intrinsic host defense pathways, and potential

ORGANISM(S): Theobroma cacao

SUBMITTER: Luis Mejia 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-54731 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress