DNA hypomethylation of the host tree impairs interaction with mutualistic ectomycorrhizal fungus

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.18734
• Publication Date: 2023-02-21T00:05:50Z
• Authors: Julien Vigneaud; Annegret Kohler; Mamadou Dia Sow; Alain Delaunay; Laure Fauchery; Frederic Guinet; Christian Daviaud; Kerrie W. Barry; Keykhosrow Keymanesh; Jenifer Johnson; Vasanth Singan; Igor Grigoriev; Régis Fichot; Daniel Conde; Mariano Perales; Jörg Tost; Francis M. Martin; Isabel Allona; Steven H. Strauss; Claire Veneault‐F...; Stéphane Maury
• Keywords: Methyl jasmonate

Ectomycorrhizas are an intrinsic component of tree nutrition and responses to environmental variations. How epigenetic mechanisms might regulate these mutualistic interactions is unknown. By manipulating the level expression chromatin remodeler DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1) two demethylases DEMETER-LIKE (DML) in Populus tremula × alba lines, we examined how host methylation modulates multiple parameters root colonization with fungus Laccaria bicolor. We compared ectomycorrhizas formed between transgenic wild-type (WT) trees analyzed their methylomes transcriptomes. The poplar lines displaying lower mycorrhiza formation rate corresponded hypomethylated overexpressing DML or RNAi-ddm1 lines. found 86 genes 288 transposable elements (TEs) differentially methylated WT (common both OX-dml RNAi-ddm1) 120 genes/1441 TEs fungal genome suggesting a host-induced remodeling methylome. Hypomethylated displayed 205 expressed (cis trans effects) common 17 being (cis). Our findings suggest central role ability form including not only involved initiation, ethylene jasmonate-mediated pathways, immune response but also terpenoid metabolism.