Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals novel insights into the response to Cr(VI) exposure in Cr(VI) tolerant ectomycorrhizal fungi Pisolithus sp. 1 LS-2017

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2020 Jan 30:188:109935. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.109935. Epub 2019 Nov 15.

Abstract

Chromium (Cr) is one of the most toxic heavy metals and a health hazard to millions of people worldwide. Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi can assist plants in phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soil. Cr tolerance differs among ECM fungal varieties, but the underlying molecular mechanisms of Cr tolerance in ECM fungi are not clear. This study identified, analysed and compared the Cr(VI)-induced transcriptional changes between Cr(VI)-tolerant strain (Pisolithus sp. 1 LS-2017) and Cr(VI)-sensitive strain (Pisolithus sp. 2 LS-2017) by de novo transcriptomic analysis. The results showed that 93,642 assembled unique transcripts representing the 22,353 (46.76%) unigenes matched the proteins we have known in the Nr database and 47,801 unigenes were got from the Pisolithus spp. For DEGs between the control and 10 mg/L Cr(VI) treatment, cyanoamino acid metabolic, type I diabetes mellitus metabolism, nitrogen metabolism and beta-Alanine metabolism pathways were significantly enriched (p < 0.05) in Pisolithus sp. 1 LS-2017. Two nitrate reductase family genes (nidD, niiA) provide Cr(VI) tolerance for Pisolithus sp. 1 LS-2017 by regulating Cr(VI) reduction. In addition, NO produced by nidD, niiA regulated denitrification can alleviate Cr(VI) induced oxidative stress. In Pisolithus sp. 2 LS-2017, the alcC, aldA and lcf2 gene may alleviate Cr(VI) induced oxidative stress by protecting SH groups and increasing secondary metabolism, reducing detoxify aldehydes to carboxylic acids and producing LCPUFAs respectively; .T gene regulate Cr(VI) induced wound healing by pigmentation and stability of melanin in spore; MKP2 gene accelerate Cr(VI) induced cell death and gpmA gene regulated Cr(VI) induced energy emergency.

Keywords: Chromium; Denitrification; Nitrate reductase; Oxidative damage; Reduction; Transcriptomic.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological
  • Basidiomycota / genetics*
  • Basidiomycota / metabolism
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Chromium / toxicity*
  • Denitrification
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Genes, Fungal*
  • Mycorrhizae / genetics*
  • Mycorrhizae / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Oxidative Stress / genetics
  • Soil / chemistry
  • Soil Microbiology / standards
  • Soil Pollutants / toxicity*
  • Transcriptome / drug effects*

Substances

  • Soil
  • Soil Pollutants
  • Chromium
  • chromium hexavalent ion