Project description:The molecular regulation mechanisms involved in stress tolerance remain largely unknown. Drunken horsegrass (Achnatherum inebrians), an important perennial bunchgrass in China, forms a naturally occurring symbiosis with an asexual symbiotic fungus Neotyphodium gansuense.To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the low temperature resistance of E+ drunken horsegrass, Solexa deep-sequencing was used to identify candidate genes showing differential expression.
Project description:<p>Plant-associated microorganisms can be found in various plant niches and plays an important role in the response to environmental stress. For example, foliar fungal endophytes are known for their ability to increase host resistance to insect pests, fungal pathogens and drought. However, understanding of the effects of Epichloë endophytes on the assembly and ecological function of phyllosphere and rhizosphere-associated microorganisms under long-term cultivation remains fragmentary. The research presented in our manuscript systematically studied response of Achnatherum inebrians infected by endophyte (Epichloë gansuensis) to long-term cultivation. Five-year field trials demonstrated that E. gansuensis endophyte significantly increased host plant coverage. It revealed that Epichloë endophyte-infected plants recruits beneficial Microvirga species involved in soil carbon and nitrogen cycles by exudating key metabolites (i.e., 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid) to help the host obtain nutrients, thereby promoting plant growth. Moreover, in vitro test experiments further demonstrated that key metabolite could enhance plant growth by promoting Microvirga enrichment.</p>