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Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus on polyphosphate accumulation in Gigaspora margarita during spore germination

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Abstract

Polyphosphate (polyP) is the form in which phosphorus (P) is transferred from extraradical hyphae into arbuscles in the symbiotic stage of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. However, polyP dynamics in the presymbiotic stage are less understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate polyP accumulation in Gigaspora margarita as influenced by nitrogen (N) and/or P supply during germination. Spores of G. margarita were incubated on medium with or without P or N addition. PolyP content in the fungal tissue was monitored using a polyP kinase/luciferase system, and polyP synthetic activity was determined with 32P labeling. The results showed that both N and P were necessary for polyP accumulation in germ tubes. Nitrate increased the polyP content in germ tubes, but ammonium did not. Along with germination, polyP content decreased in spores, but increased in germ tubes. 32P labeling indicated that polyP synthetic activity increased in germ tubes along with germination, but was negligible in spores. Our results suggest that, in the presymbiotic stage of G. margarita, uptake of environmental N and P increases polyP content in germ tubes, and that polyP synthesis occurs mainly therein, leading to polyP accumulation. The possible mechanism of transfer of polyP from spores to hyphae remains to be elucidated.

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Abbreviations

AMF:

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

DAI:

Days after starting incubation

N:

Nitrogen

P:

Phosphorus

Pi:

Inorganic phosphate

polyP:

Polyphosphate

PPK:

Polyphosphate kinase

TBO:

Toluidine Blue O

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Acknowledgments

We thank Drs. Katsuharu Saito and Tomoko Kojima for their helpful suggestions during the experiments. This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS, P03518) and the Natural Science Fund of China (NSFC, 30570060).

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Author notes

  1. Ryo Ohtomo

    Present address: Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council, 1-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 199-8950, Japan

  2. Masanori Saito

    Present address: Field Science Center, Tohoku University, Osaki, 989-6711, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, 768 Senbon-matsu, Nasu-shiobara, Tochigi Prefecture, 329-2793, Japan

    Qing Yao & Ryo Ohtomo

  2. National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan

    Masanori Saito

  3. South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China

    Qing Yao

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  1. Qing Yao
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  2. Ryo Ohtomo
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  3. Masanori Saito
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Correspondence to Ryo Ohtomo.

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Responsible Editor: Angela Hodge.

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Yao, Q., Ohtomo, R. & Saito, M. Influence of nitrogen and phosphorus on polyphosphate accumulation in Gigaspora margarita during spore germination. Plant Soil 330, 303–311 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0201-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-0201-0

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