Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have well-documented roles in plant-plant communication and directing animal behavior. In this study, we examine the less understood roles of VOCs in plant-fungal relationships. Phylogenetically and ecologically diverse strains of Fusarium oxysporum, a fungal species complex that often resides in the rhizosphere of assorted plants, produce volatile compounds that augment shoot and root growth of Arabidopsis thaliana and tobacco. Growth responses of A. thaliana hormone signaling mutants and expression patterns of a GUS reporter gene under the auxin-responsive DR5 promoter supported the involvement of auxin signaling in F. oxysporum volatile-mediated growth enhancement. In addition, 1-naphthylthalamic acid, an inhibitor of auxin efflux, negated F. oxysporum volatile-mediated growth enhancement in both plants. Comparison of the profiles of volatile compounds produced by F. oxysporum strains that differentially affected plant growth suggests that the relative compositions of both growth inhibitory and stimulatory compounds may determine the degree of plant growth enhancement. Volatile-mediated signaling between fungi and plants may represent a potentially conserved, yet mostly overlooked, mechanism underpinning plant-fungus interactions and fungal niche adaption.
Highlights
Organisms in multiple kingdoms use volatile metabolites as semio-chemicals for intra- and interspecies communication and manipulation
The mutants of Col-0 used in this study, obtained from the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center at Ohio State University, included etr1 (Bleecker et al, 1988; Chang et al, 1993), ga3ox1 and aux1 (Marchant et al, 1999), axr5 and tir1 (Yang et al, 2004), and eir1 (Luschnig et al, 1998)
Volatile Compounds Produced by Genetically and Phenotypically Diverse F. oxysporum Strains Enhanced the Growth of A. thaliana and Tobacco
Summary
Organisms in multiple kingdoms use volatile metabolites as semio-chemicals for intra- and interspecies communication and manipulation Such function of various volatiles produced by animals and plants has been well-documented (Baldwin et al, 2002; Herrmann, 2010). Volatile compounds produced by certain plant growth promoting rhizobacteria enhanced plant growth, induced systemic resistance against pathogens and/or increased abiotic stress tolerance (Ryu et al, 2003, 2004; Han et al, 2006; Zhang et al, 2007; Kwon et al, 2010) Bacteria, such as Fungal volatiles on plant growth strains of Serratia spp., Pseudomonas spp. and Stenotrophomonas spp., produce volatiles that inhibit the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana (Vespermann et al, 2007; Kai and Piechulla, 2009). Volatiles produced by ectomycorrhizal truffles (Tuber spp.) inhibited A. thaliana root growth and development (Splivallo et al, 2007)
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