Determinants of endophytic and pathogenic lifestyle in root colonizing fungi

Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2022 Jun:67:102226. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102226. Epub 2022 May 5.

Abstract

Plant-fungal interactions in the soil crucially impact crop productivity and can range from highly beneficial to detrimental. Accumulating evidence suggests that some root-colonizing fungi shift between endophytic and pathogenic behaviour depending on the host species and that combinations of effector proteins collectively shape the fungal lifestyle on a given plant. In this review we discuss recent advances in our understanding of how fungal infection strategies on roots can lead to contrasting outcomes for the host. We highlight functional similarities and differences in compatibility determinants that control the colonization of specific-cell layers within plant roots, ultimately shaping the continuum between endophytic and pathogenic lifestyle.

Keywords: Effector; Endophyte; Pathogen; Plant; Rhizosphere; Root colonizing fungi.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Endophytes
  • Fungi*
  • Plant Roots / microbiology
  • Rhizosphere*
  • Soil Microbiology