Myristate and the ecology of AM fungi: significance, opportunities, applications and challenges

Matthias C Rillig; Carlos A Aguilar-Trigueros; Ian C Anderson; Janis Antonovics; Max-Bernhard Ballhausen; Joana Bergmann; Milos Bielcik; V Bala Chaudhary; Coline Deveautour; Leonie Grünfeld; Stefan Hempel; Milica Lakovic; Daniel R Lammel; Anika Lehmann; Johannes Lehmann; Eva F Leifheit; Yun Liang; Erqin Li; Yudi M Lozano; Annette Manntschke; India Mansour; Peter Oviatt; Liliana Pinek; Jeff R Powell; Julien Roy; Masahiro Ryo; Moisés A Sosa-Hernández; Stavros D Veresoglou; Dongwei Wang; Gaowen Yang; Haiyang Zhang

doi:10.1111/nph.16527

Myristate and the ecology of AM fungi: significance, opportunities, applications and challenges

New Phytol. 2020 Sep;227(6):1610-1614. doi: 10.1111/nph.16527. Epub 2020 Apr 9.

Authors

Matthias C Rillig^{1

2}, Carlos A Aguilar-Trigueros^{1

2}, Ian C Anderson³, Janis Antonovics⁴, Max-Bernhard Ballhausen^{1

2}, Joana Bergmann^{1

2}, Milos Bielcik^{1

2}, V Bala Chaudhary⁵, Coline Deveautour^{3

6

7}, Leonie Grünfeld^{1

2}, Stefan Hempel^{1

2}, Milica Lakovic^{1

2}, Daniel R Lammel^{1

2}, Anika Lehmann^{1

2}, Johannes Lehmann^{8

9}, Eva F Leifheit^{1

2}, Yun Liang^{1

2}, Erqin Li^{1

2}, Yudi M Lozano^{1

2}, Annette Manntschke^{1

2}, India Mansour^{1

2}, Peter Oviatt¹⁰, Liliana Pinek^{1

2}, Jeff R Powell³, Julien Roy^{1

2}, Masahiro Ryo^{1

2}, Moisés A Sosa-Hernández^{1

2}, Stavros D Veresoglou^{1

2}, Dongwei Wang^{1

2}, Gaowen Yang^{1

2}, Haiyang Zhang³

Affiliations

¹ Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Altensteinstr. 6, D-14195, Berlin, Germany.
² Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, D-14195, Berlin, Germany.
³ Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia.
⁴ Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22904, USA.
⁵ Department of Environmental Science and Studies, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, 60614, USA.
⁶ National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland.
⁷ Environment, Soils and Land-Use Department, Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Y35 Y521, Co. Wexford, Ireland.
⁸ School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
⁹ Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
¹⁰ Program in History, Anthropology and Science and Technology Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.

PMID: 32147825
DOI: 10.1111/nph.16527

Abstract

A recent study by Sugiura and coworkers reported the non-symbiotic growth and spore production of an arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis, when the fungus received an external supply of certain fatty acids, myristates (C:14). This discovery follows the insight that AM fungi receive fatty acids from their hosts when in symbiosis. If this result holds up and can be repeated under nonsterile conditions and with a broader range of fungi, it has numerous consequences for our understanding of AM fungal ecology, from the level of the fungus, at the plant community level, and to functional consequences in ecosystems. In addition, myristate may open up several avenues from a more applied perspective, including improved fungal culture and supplementation of AM fungi or inoculum in the field. We here map these potential opportunities, and additionally offer thoughts on potential risks of this potentially new technology. Lastly, we discuss the specific research challenges that need to be overcome to come to an understanding of the potential role of myristate in AM ecology.

Keywords: agriculture; arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM); ecology; ecosystem; myristate; restoration.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Ecosystem
Fungi
Glomeromycota*
Mycorrhizae*
Myristates
Myristic Acid
Plant Roots
Symbiosis

Substances

Myristates
Myristic Acid

Supplementary concepts

Rhizophagus irregularis