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New fungal primers reveal the diversity of Mucoromycotinian arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their response to nitrogen application
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

New fungal primers reveal the diversity of Mucoromycotinian arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their response to nitrogen application

Mirjam Seeliger, Sally Hilton, George Muscatt, Christopher Walker, David Bass, Felipe Albornoz, Rachel J. Standish, Neil D. Gray, Louis Mercy, Leonidas Rempelos, …
Environmental microbiome, Vol.19(1), 71
2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-024-00617-x
PMID: 39294800
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Published2.49 MBDownloadView
CC BY V4.0,  Open Access

Abstract

Background Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) are the most widespread terrestrial symbiosis and are both a key determinant of plant health and a major contributor to ecosystem processes through their role in biogeochemical cycling. Until recently, it was assumed that the fungi which form AM comprise the subphylum Glomeromycotina (G-AMF), and our understanding of the diversity and ecosystem roles of AM is based almost exclusively on this group. However recent evidence shows that fungi which form the distinctive 'fine root endophyte’ (FRE) AM morphotype are members of the subphylum Mucoromycotina (M-AMF), so that AM symbioses are actually formed by two distinct groups of fungi. Results We investigated the influence of nitrogen (N) addition and wheat variety on the assembly of AM communities under field conditions. Visual assessment of roots showed co-occurrence of G-AMF and M-AMF, providing an opportunity to compare the responses of these two groups. Existing ‘AM’ 18S rRNA primers which co-amplify G-AMF and M-AMF were modified to reduce bias against Mucoromycotina, and compared against a new ‘FRE’ primer set which selectively amplifies Mucoromycotina. Using the AM-primers, no significant effect of either N-addition or wheat variety on G-AMF or M-AMF diversity or community composition was detected. In contrast, using the FRE-primers, N-addition was shown to reduce M-AMF diversity and altered community composition. The ASV which responded to N-addition were closely related, demonstrating a clear phylogenetic signal which was identified only by the new FRE-primers. The most abundant Mucoromycotina sequences we detected belonged to the same Endogonales clades as dominant sequences associated with FRE morphology in Australia, indicating that closely related M-AMF may be globally distributed. Conclusions The results demonstrate the need to consider both G-AMF and M-AMF when investigating AM communities, and highlight the importance of primer choice when investigating AMF community dynamics.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Citation topics
3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
3.97 Plant Pathology
3.97.488 Mycorrhizal Symbiosis
Web Of Science research areas
Genetics & Heredity
Microbiology
ESI research areas
Molecular Biology & Genetics
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