Network hubs in root-associated fungal metacommunities

• DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0497-1
• Publication Date: 2018-06-23T06:03:01Z
• Authors: Hirokazu Toju; Akifumi S. Tanabe; Hirotoshi Sato
• Keywords: Medical microbiology; Root (linguistics)

Although a number of recent studies have uncovered remarkable diversity microbes associated with plants, understanding and managing dynamics plant microbiomes remain major scientific challenges. In this respect, network analytical methods provided basis for exploring "hub" microbial species, which potentially organize community-scale processes plant–microbe interactions. By compiling Illumina sequencing data root-associated fungi in eight forest ecosystems across the Japanese Archipelago, we explored hubs within "metacommunity-scale" networks plant–fungus associations. total, metadata included 8080 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected from 227 local populations 150 species/taxa. Few OTUs were common all forests. However, each metacommunity-scale representing northern four localities or southern localities, diverse mycorrhizal, endophytic, pathogenic classified as "metacommunity hubs," host taxa throughout climatic region. Specifically, Mortierella (Mortierellales), Cladophialophora (Chaetothyriales), Ilyonectria (Hypocreales), Pezicula (Helotiales), Cadophora (incertae sedis) had broad geographic ranges (cool-temperate) region, while Saitozyma/Cryptococcus (Tremellales/Trichosporonales) well some arbuscular mycorrhizal placed at central positions warm-temperate subtropical forests Japan. The theoretical framework presented study will help us explore prospective bacteria, high potentials agricultural application to species As those been known promote survival growth further elucidating their functional roles are awaited.