Pervasive effects of an endophytic fungus on host genetic and phenotypic expression in a tropical tree (part 2)
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ABSTRACT: Inoculation of endophyte-free (E-) Theobroma cacao leaves with Colletotrichum tropicale (E+), the dominant foliar fungal endophyte in healthy T. cacao, induced significant changes in the expression of hundreds of host genes. Further, E+ leaves exhibit enhanced pathogen resistance, increased lignin and cellulose content, reduced maximum rates of photosynthesis (Amax), and enrichment of nitrogen-15 and carbon-13 isotopes that all correspond to the changes in expression of specific functional genes in related pathways. Moreover, a cacao gene highly up-regulated in E+ leaves increases pathogen resistance apart from any direct endophyte effects. Thus, benefits of increased pathogen resistance in E+ plants are partially due to enhanced induction of intrinsic host defense pathways, and potential costs include reduced photosynthetic capacity and endophyte metabolism of host tissues. Similar effects are likely to be properties of most plant-endophyte interactions, suggesting general relevance to the design and interpretation of studies of genetic and phenotypic expression in plants.
ORGANISM(S): Theobroma cacao
PROVIDER: GSE54731 | GEO | 2014/06/30
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA237516
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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