Eucalypt NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase. cDNA cloning and expression in ectomycorrhizae

NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH) activity is increased in roots of Eucalyptus globulus subsp. bicostata ex Maiden Kirkp. during colonization by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus tinctorius Coker and Couch. To investigate the regulation of the enzyme expression, a cDNA (EgIcdh) encoding the NADP-ICDH was isolated from a cDNA library of E. globulus-P. tinctorius ectomycorrhizae. The putative polypeptide sequence of EgIcdh showed a high amino acid similarity with plant NADP-ICDHs. Because the deduced EgICDH protein lacks an amino-terminal targeting sequence and shows highest similarity to plant cytosolic ICDHs, it probably represents a cytoplasmic isoform. RNA analysis showed that the steady-state level of EgIcdh transcripts was enhanced nearly 2-fold in ectomycorrhizal roots compared with nonmycorrhizal roots. Increased accumulation of NADP-ICDH transcripts occurred as early as 2 d after contact and likely led to the observed increased enzyme activity. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that NADP-ICDH was preferentially accumulated in the epidermis and stele parenchyma of nonmycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal lateral roots. The putative role of cytosolic NADP-ICDH in ectomycorrhizae is discussed.

Evidence for an up-regulation of the host and a down-regulation of the fungal phosphofructokinase activity in ectomycorrhizas of Norway spruce and fly agaric

For an understanding of metabolic interactions in ectomycorrhizal associations it is essential to distinguish enzyme activities of the symbionts. For the ATP-dependent phosphofructokinase (PFK) from ectomycorrhizas of fly agaric (Amanita muscaria (L. ex Fr.) Hooker) on Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) we were able to achieve a symbiont-specific differentiation by special assay conditions. Substrate concentrations, Mg²⁺ : ATP ratio and pH values which were optimum for the fly agaric PFK completely suppressed the PFK activity of spruce roots. On the other hand, under the optimum assay conditions for the spruce root PFK, the fungal PFK activity was reduced by more than 90%. The most pronounced difference between the enzymes of both organisms was the response towards fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F26BP); whereas F26BP had no influence on the spruce PFK activity, the fly agaric PFK activity was strongly enhanced by very low levels of F26BP. The distinction of the partner-specific PFK activities illustrated that mycorrhiza formation exerted partner-specific effects. On the basis of host d. wt of the mycorrhizas, the host-specific PFK activity was more than doubled compared with that of the non-mycorrhizal short roots. By contrast, the fungal PFK activity, on a fungal d.wt basis, was reduced in the mycorrhizas to less than 1/4 of the activity of the free-living mycelium.