Rock eating fungi? The role of Mucoromycotina 'fine root endophytes' in silicate mineral weathering and plant nutrition

该项目将通过体外实验，元素，扫描电子显微镜和同位素示踪剂分析，以及转录组学和生物信息学分析的组合来研究这一基本知识差距，以解决以下目标：量化MFRE从不同硅酸盐中提取矿物质营养素的能力。在化学和物理水平上表征MFRE-矿物相互作用。确定真菌基因表达模式和对不同矿物质的代谢反应。确定提取的矿物质营养素对宿主植物的生物利用度。

This project will investigate this fundamental knowledge gap by a combination of in vitro experiments, elemental, scanning electron microscopy and isotope tracer analyses, together with transcriptomic and bioinformatic analyses to address the following objectives: Quantify the ability of MFRE to extract mineral nutrients from different silicates. Characterise MFRE-mineral interactions at the chemical and physical levels. Determine fungal gene expression patterns and metabolic responses to different minerals. Establish the bioavailability of the extracted mineral nutrients to host plants.