title: Phytohormones in plant root-Piriformospora indica mutualism.
abstract: Piriformospora indica is a mutualistic root-colonising basidiomycete that tranfers various benefits to colonized host plants including growth promotion, yield increases as well as abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. The fungus is characterized by a broad host spectrum encompassing various monocots and dicots. Our recent microarray-based studies indicate a general plant defense suppression by P. indica and significant changes in the GA biosynthesis pathway. Furthermore, barley plants impaired in GA synthesis and perception showed a significant reduction in mutualistic colonization, which was associated with an elevated expression of defense-related genes. Here, we discuss the importance of plant hormones for compatibility in plant root-P. indica associations. Our data might provide a first explanation for the colonization success of the fungus in a wide range of higher plants.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany. Patrick.schaefer@agrar.uni-giessen.de
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pfiffi
authors.forename: Lars M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Voll
authors.forename: Doreen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zajic
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.forename: Jörn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pons-Kühnemann
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sonnewald
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sonnewald
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kogel