Characterization of genes/proteins involved in mineral nutrient acquistion during the arbuscular mycorrhiza symbiosis

• Applicant: Dr. Mike Güther
• Subject Area: Organismic Interactions, Chemical Ecology and Microbiomes of Plant Systems
• Term: from 2010 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 174817913

Plants growing in soils of low nutrient availability often depend on microbial symbionts which help them to solubilize and take up the nutrients necessary for a proper growth. In our previous work we identified a set of genes from Lotus japonicus which showed an increased transcriptional activity in plant roots colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Several of these genes code for membrane transporters for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur, which are agricultural important macronutrients. This result highlights the relevance of nutrient exchange processes during the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. In this project we plan to characterize in detail some of these transport proteins using molecular biological and biochemical approaches. To this end, we will address the substrates transported, the (sub-)cellular localization of the proteins as well as their regulation. The use of mutant and RNAi plants for candidate transporters will allow us to understand the specific function of each transporter in the symbiosis and their contribution to plant mineral nutrition.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants