Ectomycorrhizal fungi decompose soil organic matter using oxidative mechanisms adapted from saprotrophic ancestors

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.13722
• Publication Date: 2015-11-03T12:02:08Z
• Authors: Firoz Shah; César Nicolás; Johan Bentzer; Magnus Ellström; Mark Smits; Francois Rineau; Björn Canbäck; Dimitrios Floudas; Robert Carleer; Gerald Lackner; Jana Braesel; Dirk Hoffmeister; Bernard Henrissat; Dag Ahrén; Tomas Johansson; David S. Hibbett; Francis Martin; Per Persson; Anders Tunlid
• Keywords: Oxidative enzyme; Ectomycorrhiza

Summary Ectomycorrhizal fungi are thought to have a key role in mobilizing organic nitrogen that is trapped soil matter ( SOM ). However, the extent which ectomycorrhizal decompose and mechanism by they do so remain unclear, considering lost many genes encoding lignocellulose‐degrading enzymes present their saprotrophic ancestors. Spectroscopic analyses transcriptome profiling were used examine mechanisms five species of fungi, representing at least four origins symbiosis, extracted from forest soils. In presence glucose when acquiring nitrogen, all converted extract using oxidative mechanisms. The expressed during decomposition has diverged over evolutionary time. Each different set transcripts proteins associated with oxidation lignocellulose fungi. ‘toolbox’ through differences regulation orthologous genes, formation new gene duplications, recruitment diverse but functionally similar enzyme families. capacity oxidize appears be common among We propose ancestral decay primarily obtain carbon been adapted symbiosis scavenge nutrients instead.