Regulation of signal transduction during myorrhizal symbiosis

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Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) is one of the oldest symbiotic and most widespread interactions in the plant kingdom. In sharp contrast to most pathogenic interactions the plant allows the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus to enter the host cells and to intracellularly form its symbiotically active organs, the arbuscules. The symbiont remains surrounded by a plant-derived plasma membrane that exhibits different physiological properties and hosts a series of proteins that are specifically induced during AM sybiosis. During infection of the host root by AM fungi a remorin protein (MYCREM) is exclusively expressed in arbuscule containing cells and localizes to the periarbuscular membrane. This remorin is closely related to another member of the protein family (SYMREM1) that has been shown to regulate rhizobial infection and to interact with key receptor proteins. In this proposal we aim to understand the biological role of MYCREM in more detail taking three approaches. We will generate and analyze double mutants (symrem1/mycrem) to assess possible functional redundancy between these proteins. Secondly, super-resolution microscopy will be used to visualize the presence of membrane rafts on the periarbuscular membrane. In a third set of experiments putative interaction partners that have already been identified will be characterized further. This analysis includes studies on a novel receptor-like kinase that is specifically induced during AM symbiosis.