Diversification of ergot alkaloids and heritable fungal symbionts in morning glories.

ABSTRACT: Heritable microorganisms play critical roles in life cycles of many macro-organisms but their prevalence and functional roles are unknown for most plants. Bioactive ergot alkaloids produced by heritable Periglandula fungi occur in some morning glories (Convolvulaceae), similar to ergot alkaloids in grasses infected with related fungi. Ergot alkaloids have been of longstanding interest given their toxic effects, psychoactive properties, and medical applications. Here we show that ergot alkaloids are concentrated in four morning glory clades exhibiting differences in alkaloid profiles and are more prevalent in species with larger seeds than those with smaller seeds. Further, we found a phylogenetically-independent, positive correlation between seed mass and alkaloid concentrations in symbiot

SUBMITTER: Beaulieu WT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8648897 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature