Genetic Diversity of the Symbiotic Fungus Epichloe festucae in Naturally Occurring Host Grass Populations.

ABSTRACT: Epichloë festucae is a common symbiont of the perennial and widely distributed cool season grass, Festuca rubra. The symbiosis is highly integrated involving systemic growth of the fungus throughout above-ground host parts and vertical transmission from plant to its offspring via host seeds. However, the nature of symbiosis is labile ranging from antagonistic to mutualistic depending on prevailing selection pressures. Both the loss of fungus in the maternal host lineage and horizontal transmission through sexual spores within the host population may partly explain the detected variation in symbiosis in wild grass populations. Epichloë species are commonly considered as pathogens when they produce sexual spores and partly castrate their host plant. This is the pathogeni

SUBMITTER: von Crautlein M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8678516 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature