title: Short communication phosphate supply and arsenate toxicity in ectomycorrhizal fungi.
abstract: Three species of ectomycorrhizal fungi (Hebeloma crustuliniforme, Suillus variegatus and Cenococcum geophilum) were grown in axenic culture amended with range of AsO4(3-) concentration under three different PO4(3-) regimes. The fungi exhibited different growth responses to AsO4(3-) that varied with PO4(3-) concentration. Suillus variegatus showed the greatest sensitivity to AsO4(3-), with growth almost completely inhibited in the presence of AsO4(3-) under the lower two PO4(3-) treatments. Under the highest PO4(3-) treatment however, growth was enhanced and S. variegatus was able to persist at AsO4(3-) concentrations of up to 4 mM. Hebeloma crustuliniforme also showed high sensitivity to AsO4(3-) especially at low PO4(3-) concentration. The two higher PO4(3-) treatments had an ameliorating effect on AsO4(3-) toxicity in H. crustuliniforme. This demonstrates the ability of PO4(3-) to alleviate AsO4(3-) toxicity. The response from S. variegatus and H. crustuliniforme, both basidiomycetes, was in contrast to the ascomycete C. geophilum. This fungus demonstrated tolerance to AsO4(3-) when grown in culture solution and PO4(3-) did not have an ameliorating effect on AsO4(3-) toxicity in C. geophilum.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Land Rehabilitation, School of Earth and Geographical Science (M087), Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia.
authors.forename: Serena H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tibbett
mesh_terms: D001149:Arsenates / Q000633:toxicity*; D018533:Biomass; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001149:Arsenates; D010710:Phosphates