Bacterial diversity among the fruit bodies of ectomycorrhizal and saprophytic fungi and their corresponding hyphosphere soils

Qibiao Sun,Jing Li,Bin Lian,Yaping Liu

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-30120-6

Abstract

Macro-fungi play important roles in the soil elemental cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. Many researchers have focused on the interactions between mycorrhizal fungi and host plants, whilst comparatively few studies aim to characterise the relationships between macro-fungi and bacteria in situ. In this study, we detected endophytic bacteria within fruit bodies of ectomycorrhizal and saprophytic fungi (SAF) using high-throughput sequencing technology, as well as bacterial diversity in the corresponding hyphosphere soils below the fruit bodies. Bacteria such as Helicobacter, Escherichia-Shigella, and Bacillus were found to dominate within fruit bodies, indicating that they were crucial in the development of macro-fungi. The bacterial richness in the hyphosphere soils of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcMF) was higher than that of SAF and significant difference in the composition of bacterial communities was observed. There were more Verrucomicrobia and Bacteroides in the hyphosphere soils of EcMF, and comparatively more Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi in the hyphosphere of SAF. The results indicated that the two types of macro-fungi can enrich, and shape the bacteria compatible with their respective ecological functions. This study will be beneficial to the further understanding of interactions between macro-fungi and relevant bacteria.

Highlights

Macro-fungi, known as mushrooms, are a type of chlorophyll-free heterotrophic organism[1]
Six species of macro-fungi collected were morphologically identified according to the Dictionary of the Fungi[21], the results showed that the ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcMF) belonged to Amanitaceae and Boletaceae and saprophytic fungi (SAF) belonged to Agaricaceae and Tricholomataceae, respectively
The endophytic bacteria within the fruit bodies of EcMF were regarded as bacteria of EcMF (bEMF), and the endophytic bacteria within the fruit bodies of A. pantherina, S. placidus and T. felleus were labelled as AP, SP, and TF, respectively; the endophytic bacteria within the fruit bodies of SAF were regarded as bacteria of SAF (bSAF), and the endophytic bacteria within the fruit bodies of A. flocculosipes, C. molybdites, and T. albuminosus were labelled as AF, CM, and TA, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Macro-fungi, known as mushrooms, are a type of chlorophyll-free heterotrophic organism[1]. EcMF are able to establish mutualistic interactions with host plants and form ectomycorrhizae in the natural environment[5] They provide mineral elements for host plants by weathering minerals or decomposing organic matter[6,7], or/and take-up mineral nutrients directly from soils to obtain valuable photosynthetic carbon in return[8,9]. Pent and Bahram[19] investigated and sequenced the endophytic bacteria from the fruit bodies of Agaricomycetes and found that both the soils, and the fungal species, contributed to the bacterial communities in fruit bodies They hypothesised that the bacteria in fungal fruit bodies may be selected based on their symbiotic functions or environmental requirements. An experiment was conducted to reveal the ecological relationship between macro-fungi and bacteria in situ, which is conducive to understanding of their ecological roles

Methods

Results

Conclusion