Dataset Information

Comparative Research on Metabolites of Different Species of Epichloe Endophytes and Their Host Achnatherum sibiricum.

ABSTRACT: Achnatherum sibiricum can be infected by two species of fungal endophytes, Epichloë gansuensis (Eg) and Epichloë sibirica (Es). In this study, the metabolites of Eg, Es, and their infected plants were studied by GC-MS analysis. The results showed that the metabolic profiles of Eg and Es were similar in general, and only six differential metabolites were detected. The direct effect of endophyte infection on the metabolites in A. sibiricum was that endophyte-infected plants could produce mannitol, which was not present in uninfected plants. Epichloë infection indirectly caused an increase in the soluble sugars in A. sibiricum related to growth and metabolites related to the defense against pathogens and herbivores, such as α-tocopherol, α-linolenic acid and aromatic amino acids. Epichloë infection could regulate galactose metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, tyrosine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism of host grass. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation in the metabolite contents between the endophyte and the host.

SUBMITTER: Deng Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9225340 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Comparative Research on Metabolites of Different Species of <i>Epichloë</i> Endophytes and Their Host <i>Achnatherum sibiricum</i>.

Deng Yongkang Y Gao Yuan Y Li Chenxi C Zhang Junzhen J Fan Xiaowen X Zhao Nianxi N Gao Yubao Y Ren Anzhi A

Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) 20220610 6

Achnatherum sibiricum can be infected by two species of fungal endophytes, Epichloë gansuensis (Eg) and Epichloë sibirica (Es). In this study, the metabolites of Eg, Es, and their infected plants were studied by GC−MS analysis. The results showed that the metabolic profiles of Eg and Es were similar in general, and only six differential metabolites were detected. The direct effect of endophyte infection on the metabolites in A. sibiricum was that endophyte-infected plants could produce mannitol, ...[more]

PMID: 35736102

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Project description:Symbiotic Epichloë species are fungal endophytes of cool-season grasses that can produce alkaloids with toxicity to vertebrates and/or invertebrates. Monitoring infections and presence of alkaloids in grasses infected with Epichloë species can provide an estimate of possible intoxication risks for livestock. We sampled 3,046 individuals of 13 different grass species in three regions on 150 study sites in Germany. We determined infection rates and used PCR to identify Epichloë species diversity based on the presence of different alkaloid biosynthesis genes, then confirmed the possible chemotypes with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) measurements. Infections of Epichloë spp. were found in Festuca pratensis Huds. (81%), Festuca ovina L. aggregate (agg.) (73%), Lolium perenne L. (15%), Festuca rubra L. (15%) and Dactylis glomerata L. (8%). The other eight grass species did not appear to be infected. For the majority of Epichloë-infected L. perenne samples (98%), the alkaloids lolitrem B and peramine were present, but ergovaline was not detected, which was consistent with the genetic evaluation, as dmaW, the gene encoding the first step of the ergot alkaloid biosynthesis pathway, was absent. Epichloë uncinata in F. pratensis produced anti-insect loline compounds. The Epichloë spp. observed in the F. ovina agg. samples showed the greatest level of diversity, and different intermediates of the indole-diterpene pathway could be detected. Epichloë infection rates alone are insufficient to estimate intoxication risks for livestock, as other factors, like the ability of the endophyte to produce the alkaloids, also need to be assessed.IMPORTANCE Severe problems of livestock intoxication from Epichloë-infected forage grasses have been reported from New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, but much less frequently from Europe, and particularly not from Germany. Nevertheless, it is important to monitor infection rates and alkaloids of grasses with Epichloë fungi to estimate possible intoxication risks. Most studies focus on agricultural grass species like Lolium perenne and Festuca arundinacea, but other cool-season grass species can also be infected. We show that in Germany, infection rates and alkaloids differ between grass species and that some of the alkaloids can be toxic to livestock. Changes in grassland management due to changing climate, especially with a shift toward grasslands dominated with Epichloë-infected species such as Lolium perenne, may result in greater numbers of intoxicated livestock in the near future. We therefore suggest regular monitoring of grass species for infections and alkaloids and call for maintaining heterogenous grasslands for livestock.

Project description:Epichloë endophytes are common symbionts living asymptomatically in pooid grasses and may provide chemical defences against herbivorous insects. While the mechanisms underlying these fungal defences have been well studied, it remains unknown whether endophyte presence affects the host's own defences. We addressed this issue by examining variation in the impact of Epichloë on constitutive and herbivore-induced emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC), a well-known indirect plant defence, between two grass species, Schedonorus phoenix (ex. Festuca arundinacea; tall fescue) and Festuca pratensis (meadow fescue). We found that feeding by a generalist aphid species, Rhopalosiphum padi, induced VOC emissions by uninfected plants of both grass species but to varying extents, while mechanical wounding failed to do so in both species after one day of damage. Interestingly, regardless of damage treatment, Epichloë uncinata-infected F. pratensis emitted significantly lower quantities of VOCs than their uninfected counterparts. In contrast, Epichloë coenophiala-infected S. phoenix did not differ from their uninfected counterparts in constitutive VOC emissions but tended to increase VOC emissions under intense aphid feeding. A multivariate analysis showed that endophyte status imposed stronger differences in VOC profiles of F. pratensis than damage treatment, while the reverse was true for S. phoenix. Additionally, both endophytes inhibited R. padi population growth as measured by aphid dry biomass, with the inhibition appearing greater in E. uncinata-infected F. pratensis. Our results suggest, not only that Epichloë endophytes may play important roles in mediating host VOC responses to herbivory, but also that the magnitude and direction of such responses may vary with the identity of the Epichloë-grass symbiosis. Whether Epichloë-mediated host VOC responses will eventually translate into effects on higher trophic levels merits future investigation.

Project description:The seed-borne microbiota and seed metabolites of the grass Achnatherum inebrians, either host to Epichloë gansuensis (endophyte infected [EI]) or endophyte free (EF), were investigated. This study determined the microbial communities both within the seed (endophytic) and on the seed surface (epiphytic) and of the protective glumes by using Illumina sequencing technology. Epichloë gansuensis decreased the richness of the seed-borne microbiota except for the epiphytic fungi of glumes and also decreased the diversity of seed-borne microbiota. In addition, metabolites of seeds and glumes were detected using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Unlike with the seeds of EF plants, the presence of E. gansuensis resulted in significant changes in the content of 108 seed and 31 glume metabolites. A total of 319 significant correlations occurred between seed-borne microbiota and seed metabolites; these correlations comprised 163 (147 bacterial and 16 fungal) positive correlations and 156 (136 bacterial and 20 fungal) negative correlations. Meanwhile, there were 42 significant correlations between glume microbiota and metabolites; these correlations comprised 28 positive (10 bacterial and 18 fungal) and 14 negative (9 bacterial and 5 fungal) correlations. The presence of E. gansuensis endophyte altered the communities and diversities of seed-borne microbes and altered the composition and content of seed metabolites, and there were many close and complex relationships between microbes and metabolites. IMPORTANCE The present study was to investigate seed-borne microbiota and seed metabolites in Achnatherum inebrians using high-throughput sequencing and LC-MS technology. Epichloë gansuensis decreased the richness of the seed-borne microbiota except for the epiphytic fungi of glumes and also decreased the diversity of seed-borne microbiota. Compared with endophyte-free plants, the content of 108 seed and 31 glume metabolites of endophyte-infected plants was significantly changed. There were 319 significant correlations between seed-borne microbiota and seed metabolites and 42 significant correlations between glume microbiota and metabolites.

Dataset Information

Comparative Research on Metabolites of Different Species of Epichloe Endophytes and Their Host Achnatherum sibiricum.

Publications

Comparative Research on Metabolites of Different Species of <i>Epichloë</i> Endophytes and Their Host <i>Achnatherum sibiricum</i>.

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