Algal-fungal symbiosis leads to photosynthetic mycelium
Mutualistic interactions between free-living algae and fungi are widespread in nature and are hypothesized to have facilitated the evolution of land plants and lichens. In all known algal-fungal mutualisms, including lichens, algal cells remain external to fungal cells. Here, we report on an algal–f...
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doaj-de399a3e62bd496693a6d9db6f1ea34a2021-05-05T17:46:44ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2019-07-01810.7554/eLife.47815Algal-fungal symbiosis leads to photosynthetic myceliumZhi-Yan Du0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7646-2429Krzysztof Zienkiewicz1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8525-9569Natalie Vande Pol2Nathaniel E Ostrom3Christoph Benning4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8585-3667Gregory M Bonito5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7262-8978Department of Energy-Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States; Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United StatesDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States; Department of Plant Biochemistry, Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany; Centre of Modern Interdisciplinary Technologies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, PolandDepartment of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United StatesDepartment of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States; DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United StatesDepartment of Energy-Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States; DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States; Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United StatesDepartment of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States; DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United States; Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, United StatesMutualistic interactions between free-living algae and fungi are widespread in nature and are hypothesized to have facilitated the evolution of land plants and lichens. In all known algal-fungal mutualisms, including lichens, algal cells remain external to fungal cells. Here, we report on an algal–fungal interaction in which Nannochloropsis oceanica algal cells become internalized within the hyphae of the fungus Mortierella elongata. This apparent symbiosis begins with close physical contact and nutrient exchange, including carbon and nitrogen transfer between fungal and algal cells as demonstrated by isotope tracer experiments. This mutualism appears to be stable, as both partners remain physiologically active over months of co-cultivation, leading to the eventual internalization of photosynthetic algal cells, which persist to function, grow and divide within fungal hyphae. Nannochloropsis and Mortierella are biotechnologically important species for lipids and biofuel production, with available genomes and molecular tool kits. Based on the current observations, they provide unique opportunities for studying fungal-algal mutualisms including mechanisms leading to endosymbiosis.https://elifesciences.org/articles/47815Nannochloropsis oceanicaMortierella elongatasymbiosisisotope tracersbioflocculation |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Zhi-Yan Du Krzysztof Zienkiewicz Natalie Vande Pol Nathaniel E Ostrom Christoph Benning Gregory M Bonito |
spellingShingle |
Zhi-Yan Du Krzysztof Zienkiewicz Natalie Vande Pol Nathaniel E Ostrom Christoph Benning Gregory M Bonito Algal-fungal symbiosis leads to photosynthetic mycelium eLife Nannochloropsis oceanica Mortierella elongata symbiosis isotope tracers bioflocculation |
author_facet |
Zhi-Yan Du Krzysztof Zienkiewicz Natalie Vande Pol Nathaniel E Ostrom Christoph Benning Gregory M Bonito |
author_sort |
Zhi-Yan Du |
title |
Algal-fungal symbiosis leads to photosynthetic mycelium |
title_short |
Algal-fungal symbiosis leads to photosynthetic mycelium |
title_full |
Algal-fungal symbiosis leads to photosynthetic mycelium |
title_fullStr |
Algal-fungal symbiosis leads to photosynthetic mycelium |
title_full_unstemmed |
Algal-fungal symbiosis leads to photosynthetic mycelium |
title_sort |
algal-fungal symbiosis leads to photosynthetic mycelium |
publisher |
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
series |
eLife |
issn |
2050-084X |
publishDate |
2019-07-01 |
description |
Mutualistic interactions between free-living algae and fungi are widespread in nature and are hypothesized to have facilitated the evolution of land plants and lichens. In all known algal-fungal mutualisms, including lichens, algal cells remain external to fungal cells. Here, we report on an algal–fungal interaction in which Nannochloropsis oceanica algal cells become internalized within the hyphae of the fungus Mortierella elongata. This apparent symbiosis begins with close physical contact and nutrient exchange, including carbon and nitrogen transfer between fungal and algal cells as demonstrated by isotope tracer experiments. This mutualism appears to be stable, as both partners remain physiologically active over months of co-cultivation, leading to the eventual internalization of photosynthetic algal cells, which persist to function, grow and divide within fungal hyphae. Nannochloropsis and Mortierella are biotechnologically important species for lipids and biofuel production, with available genomes and molecular tool kits. Based on the current observations, they provide unique opportunities for studying fungal-algal mutualisms including mechanisms leading to endosymbiosis. |
topic |
Nannochloropsis oceanica Mortierella elongata symbiosis isotope tracers bioflocculation |
url |
https://elifesciences.org/articles/47815 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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