Project description:Fungal necromass in soil represents the stable carbon pools. While fungi are known to decompose fungal necromass, how fungi decomopose melanin, remains poorly understood. Recently, Trichoderma species was found to be one of the most commonly associated fungi in soil, we have used a relevant fungal species, Trichoderma reesei, to characterized Genes involved in the decomposition of melanized and non-melanized necromass from Hyaloscypha bicolor.
Project description:Trichoderma spp. are ubiquitous soil-borne ascomycetous fungi that have been used widely in the biological control of plant diseases. Certain strains also exhibit growth promotion of plants, but the mechanism for this phenomenon has not yet been elucidated. We have recently identified an isolate of T. hamatum that causes significant increases in the development of Arabidopsis root systems. The aim of this work is to elucidate the mechanism of root growth promotion. One approach is to analyse the transcriptome of plants grown in the presence and absence of the fungus. Experimenter name = Christopher Thornton Experimenter phone = 01392 264653 / 01392 264689 Experimenter department = Washington Singer Lab Experimenter address = School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Experimenter address = University of Exeter Experimenter address = Perry Road, Exeter, Experimenter zip/postal_code = EX4 4QG Experimenter country = UK Keywords: pathogenicity_design, stimulus_or_stress_design