Fungal endophyte infection of ryegrass reprograms host metabolism and alters development.

ABSTRACT: Beneficial associations between plants and microbes play an important role in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. For example, associations between fungi of the genus Epichloë, and cool-season grasses are known for their ability to increase resistance to insect pests, fungal pathogens and drought. However, little is known about the molecular changes induced by endophyte infection. To study the impact of endophyte infection, we compared the expression profiles, based on RNA sequencing, of perennial ryegrass infected with Epichloë festucae with noninfected plants. We show that infection causes dramatic changes in the expression of over one third of host genes. This is in stark contrast to mycorrhizal associations, where substantially fewer changes in host gene expression are observed,

SUBMITTER: Dupont PY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5049663 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature