title: Lyso-phosphatidylcholine is a signal in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis.
abstract: The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis represents the most widely distributed mutualistic root symbiosis. We report that root extracts of mycorrhizal plants contain a lipophilic signal capable of inducing the phosphate transporter genes StPT3 and StPT4 of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), genes that are specifically induced in roots colonized by AM fungi. The same signal caused rapid extracellular alkalinization in suspension-cultured tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cells and induction of the mycorrhiza-specific phosphate transporter gene LePT4 in these cells. The active principle was characterized as the lysolipid lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC) via a combination of gene expression studies, alkalinization assays in cell cultures, and chromatographic and mass spectrometric analyses. Our results highlight the importance of lysophospholipids as signals in plants and in particular in the AM symbiosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Sciences, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich, Experimental Station Eschikon 33, 8315 Lindau, Switzerland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drissner
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kunze
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Callewaert
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gehrig
authors.forename: M'barek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamasloukht
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boller
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amrhein
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bucher
mesh_terms: D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism*; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000502:physiology*; D028061:Phosphate Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D010943:Plantago / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D015398:Signal Transduction; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D013559:Symbiosis; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines; D028061:Phosphate Transport Proteins; D010743:Phospholipids; D010940:Plant Proteins