Tsunglin Liu1, Ching-Min Li2, Yue-Lun Han3, Tzen-Yuh Chiang4, Yu-Chung Chiang5, Huang-Mo Sung6. 1. Institute of Bioinformatics and Biosignal Transduction, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. tsunglin@mail.ncku.edu.tw. 2. Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. l58991077@mail.ncku.edu.tw. 3. Institute of Bioinformatics and Biosignal Transduction, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. notehan@gmail.com. 4. Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. tychiang@mail.ncku.edu.tw. 5. Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. yuchung@mail.nsysu.edu.tw. 6. Department of Life Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. hmsung@mail.ncku.edu.tw.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mycoheterotrophic orchids are achlorophyllous plants that obtain carbon and nutrients from their mycorrhizal fungi. They often show strong preferential association with certain fungi and may obtain nutrients from surrounding photosynthetic plants through ectomycorrhizal fungi. Gastrodia is a large genus of mycoheterotrophic orchids in Asia, but Gastrodia species' association with fungi has not been well studied. We asked two questions: (1) whether certain fungi were preferentially associated with G. flavilabella, which is an orchid in Taiwan and (2) whether fungal associations of G. flavilabella were affected by the composition of fungi in the environment. RESULTS: Using next-generation sequencing, we studied the fungal communities in the tubers of Gastrodia flavilabella and the surrounding soil. We found (1) highly diversified fungi in the G. flavilabella tubers, (2) that Mycena species were the predominant fungi in the tubers but minor in the surrounding soil, and (3) the fungal communities in the G. flavilabella tubers were clearly distinct from those in the surrounding soil. We also found that the fungal composition in soil can change quickly with distance. CONCLUSIONS: G. flavilabella was associated with many more fungi than previously thought. Among the fungi in the tuber of G. flavilabella, Mycena species were predominant, different from the previous finding that adult G. elata depends on Armillaria species for nutritional supply. Moreover, the preferential fungus association of G. flavilabella was not significantly influenced by the composition of fungi in the environment.
BACKGROUND: Mycoheterotrophic orchids are achlorophyllous plants that obtain carbon and nutrients from their mycorrhizal fungi. They often show strong preferential association with certain fungi and may obtain nutrients from surrounding photosynthetic plants through ectomycorrhizal fungi. Gastrodia is a large genus of mycoheterotrophic orchids in Asia, but Gastrodia species' association with fungi has not been well studied. We asked two questions: (1) whether certain fungi were preferentially associated with G. flavilabella, which is an orchid in Taiwan and (2) whether fungal associations of G. flavilabella were affected by the composition of fungi in the environment. RESULTS: Using next-generation sequencing, we studied the fungal communities in the tubers of Gastrodia flavilabella and the surrounding soil. We found (1) highly diversified fungi in the G. flavilabella tubers, (2) that Mycena species were the predominant fungi in the tubers but minor in the surrounding soil, and (3) the fungal communities in the G. flavilabella tubers were clearly distinct from those in the surrounding soil. We also found that the fungal composition in soil can change quickly with distance. CONCLUSIONS:G. flavilabella was associated with many more fungi than previously thought. Among the fungi in the tuber of G. flavilabella, Mycena species were predominant, different from the previous finding that adult G. elata depends on Armillaria species for nutritional supply. Moreover, the preferential fungus association of G. flavilabella was not significantly influenced by the composition of fungi in the environment.
Authors: T Z DeSantis; P Hugenholtz; N Larsen; M Rojas; E L Brodie; K Keller; T Huber; D Dalevi; P Hu; G L Andersen Journal: Appl Environ Microbiol Date: 2006-07 Impact factor: 4.792
Authors: Bart Lievens; Stefan van Kerckhove; Annelies Justé; Bruno P A Cammue; Olivier Honnay; Hans Jacquemyn Journal: J Microbiol Methods Date: 2009-11-13 Impact factor: 2.363
Authors: Marie-Cécile Caillaud; Philippe Lecomte; Fabien Jammes; Michaël Quentin; Sophie Pagnotta; Emilie Andrio; Janice de Almeida Engler; Nicolas Marfaing; Pierre Gounon; Pierre Abad; Bruno Favery Journal: Plant Cell Date: 2008-02-08 Impact factor: 11.277
Authors: T Z DeSantis; P Hugenholtz; K Keller; E L Brodie; N Larsen; Y M Piceno; R Phan; G L Andersen Journal: Nucleic Acids Res Date: 2006-07-01 Impact factor: 16.971
Authors: Aleksandr Morgulis; George Coulouris; Yan Raytselis; Thomas L Madden; Richa Agarwala; Alejandro A Schäffer Journal: Bioinformatics Date: 2008-06-21 Impact factor: 6.937