Carbohydrate and lipid balances in the positive plant phenotypic response to arbuscular mycorrhiza: increase in sink strength

The exchange of phosphorus (P) and carbon (C) between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a major determinant of their mutualistic symbiosis. We explored the C dynamics in tomato (Solanum lycorpersicum) inoculated or not with Rhizophagus irregularis to study their growth response under different NaH₂ PO₄ concentrations (Null P, 0 mM; Low P, 0.065 mM; High P, 1.3 mM). The percentage of AMF colonization was similar in plants under Null and Low P, but severely reduced under High P. However, the AMF mass biomarker 16:1ω5 revealed higher fungal accumulation in inoculated roots under Low P, while more AMF spores were produced in the Null P. Under High P, AMF biomass and spores were strongly reduced. Plant growth response to mycorrhiza was negative under Null P, showing reduction in height, biovolume index, and source leaf (SL) area. Under Low P, inoculated plants showed a positive response (e.g., increased SL area), while inoculated plants under High P were similar to non-inoculated plants. AMF promoted the accumulation of soluble sugars in the SL under all fertilization levels, whereas the soluble sugar level decreased in roots under Low P in inoculated plants. Transcriptional upregulation of SlLIN6 and SlSUS1, genes related to carbohydrate metabolism, was observed in inoculated roots under Null P and Low P, respectively. We conclude that P-limiting conditions that increase AMF colonization stimulate plant growth due to an increase in the source and sink strength. Our results suggest that C partitioning and allocation to different catabolic pathways in the host are influenced by AMF performance.

An Updated Review on the Modulation of Carbon Partitioning and Allocation in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Plants

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate biotrophs that supply mineral nutrients to the host plant in exchange for carbon derived from photosynthesis. Sucrose is the end-product of photosynthesis and the main compound used by plants to translocate photosynthates to non-photosynthetic tissues. AMF alter carbon distribution in plants by modifying the expression and activity of key enzymes of sucrose biosynthesis, transport, and/or catabolism. Since sucrose is essential for the maintenance of all metabolic and physiological processes, the modifications addressed by AMF can significantly affect plant development and stress responses. AMF also modulate plant lipid biosynthesis to acquire storage reserves, generate biomass, and fulfill its life cycle. In this review we address the most relevant aspects of the influence of AMF on sucrose and lipid metabolism in plants, including its effects on sucrose biosynthesis both in photosynthetic and heterotrophic tissues, and the influence of sucrose on lipid biosynthesis in the context of the symbiosis. We present a hypothetical model of carbon partitioning between plants and AMF in which the coordinated action of sucrose biosynthesis, transport, and catabolism plays a role in the generation of hexose gradients to supply carbon to AMF, and to control the amount of carbon assigned to the fungus.

Regeneración in vitro de brotes de Polianthes tuberosa L. a partir de yemas vegetativas de la inflorescencia y de tejido de cormo

Polianthes tuberosa L. es una planta endémica de México, comercialmente se cultiva para flor de corte, y, además, es utilizada en la industria farmacéutica y del perfume. Tradicionalmente, los productores la propagan utilizando los cormos, lo que ha ocasionado que el cultivo presente poca variabilidad genética y posiblemente, por esta razón solo se conocen cultivares con flores blancas. Con base en lo anterior el objetivo de la presente investigación consistió en establecer la metodología práctica y competitiva para propagar in vitro Polianthes tuberosa L. Las yemas y pequeños segmentos de tejido de cormo fueron colocadas sobre la superficie del medio de cultivo, base GC (comunicación personal Guillermo Carrillo) con las sales inorgánicas del medio de cultivo Murashige y Skoog (1962) por litro, 50 mL de agua de coco, 20 g de sacarosa, 6.4 g de agar y el pH fue ajustado a 5.7. Con este medio básico se prepararon medios de cultivo que contenían bencilaminopurina (BAP), ácido naftalenacético (ANA), ácido 2,4-diclorofenoxiacético (2,4-D), ácido indolacético (AIA), y cinetina. La formación de brotes que dieron origen a las plántulas ocurrió mediante, la regeneración directa de la yema floral la cual al crecer forma sólo una plántula y a partir del tejido de la base de la yema, de esta región se obtuvieron hasta seis brotes por yema en el medio que contiene BAP, 4.5 mg y ANA, 0.1 mg, del cual la regeneración de brotes fue mayor (56.1 %). En el caso de cormo el problema fue la contaminación llegando en algunos casos hasta el 100 % de los cultivos. Es de resaltar la importancia de poder lograr la regeneración masiva in vitro de plantas de nardo a partir de yemas florales.