Functional Genomics of Early Events in Ectomycorrhizal Symbiosis: The Fungal Perspective"

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Functional Genomics of Early Events in Ectomycorrhizal Symbiosis: A fungal PerspectiveEctomycorrhizal fungi colonize roots and establish beneficial relationships with a wide variety of tree species. These fungi extend the absorptive capabilities of the root system, improve the host plant's abilities to tolerate biological and environmental stresses and support plant health under conditions of nutritional deficiency. The dynamic signaling and cross-talk events and genes involved during the pre-infection stage, before the physical contact is established between the fungus and the plant host, determine the direction and ultimate success of the formation of ectomycorrhizal association. The PI's lab has identified and well characterized an interaction-specific and signaling related LbRAS gene and also identified expressed sequence tags (ESTs) coding for GTPases and receptor kinases from the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor. The PI will use these genes and yeast two-hybrid interactions to characterize the genes and begin to unravel signaling pathways involved in the establishment and maintenance of ectomycorrhiza by L. bicolor. This project also involves development of new tools for the functional genomic studies of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis using Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer into L.bicolor. This work provides educational and research-training opportunities for both undergraduate and postdoctoral students to integrate various functional genomic approaches and develop tools to study a very important yet understudied beneficial interaction.