Seedling mycorrhiza: a discussion of origin and evolution in Orchidaceae

Recent phylogenetic analyses confirm the monophyly of Orchidaceae as sister group to the remainder of Asparagales, and identify the sequence of early branching lineages in Orchidaceae. Orchid seedling mycorrhiza (OSM) involving rhizoctonious fungi is distributed widely in all subfamilies, including the first branching ones, and its status as a founding event is thus supported. OSM is recognized as one element in the character syndrome that distinguishes orchid biology, and we argue that OSM was the first to evolve. We also discuss the possible evolutionary origins of OSM in Asparagales. The prevalent mycobionts suggest a derivation from a pathogenic relationship, and sister group comparison offers little support for derivation from other mycorrhizal relationships. A combination of in situ sowings and molecular identification of seedling mycobionts has established that a broad range of fungi besides rhizoctonious mycelia are presently involved in OSM, presumably evolving secondarily and often in parallel in different orchid clades. Structural features and internal patterns of mycobiont behaviour appear to have remained largely the same, implying that OSM needs only minor physiological adjustment to accommodate new mycobionts. Such modifications will have involved checkpoints for recognition/rejection and the formation/breakdown of pelotons. These physiological mechanisms are so far largely unknown. The trophic versatility of the mycobionts and the apparently easy shifts could be a main factor in the ecological adaptability of orchids and proliferation of the family. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 175 , 313–327.     

Molecular identification of mycorrhizal fungi in Neuwiedia veratrifolia (Orchidaceae)

We here apply a previously described method for identification of single peloton orchid mycorrhiza to a key orchid group and extend the usefulness in the heterobasidiomycetes of an existing fungal database for identification of mycorrhizal fungi. We amplified and sequenced mitochondrial ribosomal large subunit DNA from fungi in roots of Neuwiedia veratrifolia (Orchidaceae), a member of the small subfamily Apostasioideae that is sister to the remainder of Orchidaceae, and used the extended database to identify the mycorrhizal fungi. Sequences from fungi cultured from Neuwiedia roots and from direct peloton amplifications were analyzed cladistically with sequences determined from reference fungal collections and published sequences. The fungi from Neuwiedia are referred to the heterobasidiomycetous orders Tulasnellales and Ceratobasidiales, indicating that apostasioids utilize the same fungi as other photosynthetic orchids. The majority of Neuwiedia mycobionts came together in a clade with Tulasnella species, but some were most closely related to Thanatephorus. In some cases members of these two clades were isolated from the same orchid plant, providing another example of multiple mycobionts occurring in a single plant.     

Mycobiont diversity and first evidence of mixotrophy associated with Psathyrellaceae fungi in the chlorophyllous orchid Cremastra variabilis

Mixotrophy (MX, also called partial mycoheterotrophy) in plants is characterized by isotopic abundances that differ from those of autotrophs. Previous studies have evaluated mycoheterotrophy in MX plants associated with fungi of similar ecological characteristics, but little is known about the differences in the relative abundances of ¹³C and ¹⁵N in an orchid species that associates with several different mycobionts species. Since the chlorophyllous orchid Cremastra variabilis Nakai associates with various fungi with different ecologies, we hypothesized that it may change its relative abundances of ¹³C and ¹⁵N depending on the associated mycobionts. We investigated mycobiont diversity in the chlorophyllous orchid C. variabilis together with the relative abundance of ¹³C and ¹⁵N and morphological underground differentiation (presence or absence of a mycorhizome with fungal colonization). Rhizoctonias (Tulasnellaceae, Ceratobasidiaceae, Sebacinales) were detected as the main mycobionts. High differences in δ¹³C values (– 34.7? to?– 27.4 ‰) among individuals were found, in which the individuals associated with specific Psathyrellaceae showed significantly high relative abundance of ¹³C. In addition, Psathyrellaceae fungi were always detected on individuals with mycorhizomes. In the present study, MX orchid association with non-rhizoctonia saprobic fungi was confirmed, and the influence of mycobionts on morphological development and on relative abundance of ¹³C and ¹⁵N was discovered. Cremastra variabilis may increase opportunities to gain nutrients from diverse partners, in a bet-hedging plasticity that allows colonization of various environmental conditions.

     

四川黄龙沟优势兰科植物菌根真菌多样性及其季节变化

在自然条件下,兰科菌根真菌对兰花的种子萌发和植株生长都是必不可少的。为了解高原兰科植物菌根真菌的多样性状况及其季节性变化规律,选取了四川黄龙沟的两种生境中生长的8种优势兰科植物,分别于植株的萌芽期(4月份)、生长期(7月份)和果期(9月份)采集营养根进行菌根真菌的多样性研究。其中,黄花杓兰(Cypripedium flavum)、少花鹤顶兰(Phaiusdelavayi)、二叶匍茎兰(Galearis diantha)和广布小蝶兰(Ponerorchis chusua)分布在开阔生境;筒距兰(Tipularia szechuanica)、小花舌唇兰(Platanthera minutiflora)、珊瑚兰(Corallorhiza trifida)和尖唇鸟巢兰(Neottia acuminate)则分布在密林生境。通过对分离所得的50个菌株进行形态观察和ITS序列测定相结合的鉴定,共获得菌根真菌41种。对担子菌和子囊菌分别进行的系统发育树构建结果显示,子囊菌为优势种类(35种),以柔膜菌目(Helotiales)、炭角菌目(Xylariales)和肉座菌目(Hypocreales)内的种类为主,担子菌则以胶膜菌(Tulasnellaceaesp.)为主。在8种兰科植物中,二叶匐茎兰表现出极高的专一性,其菌根真菌均属于Hypocrea。其余兰科植物的菌根真菌分别属于不同的科,专一性相对较低。物种丰富度和Simpson多样性指数分析结果表明,密林生境的兰科植物的菌根真菌多样性在各生长季节基本高于开阔生境。此外,两种生境的优势兰科植物的菌根真菌物种多样性随生长季节转变所呈现的变化规律是相似的:萌发期和生长期的多样性均较高,峰值出现在生长期,到果期时则大幅下降。这与高原兰科植物的生长特性及营养供求规律基本相符。     

Fungal host specificity is not a bottleneck for the germination of Pyroleae species (Ericaceae) in a Bavarian forest

Plants that produce dust seeds can recruit fungi to meet their earliest requirements for carbon and other nutrients. This germination strategy, termed initial mycoheterotrophy, has been well investigated among the orchid family, but there are numerous other plant lineages that have independently evolved mycoheterotrophic germination strategies. One of these lineages is the tribe Pyroleae (Ericaceae). While the fungi associated with mature plants in Pyroleae have been fairly well documented, their mycobionts at the germination and seedling stages are largely unknown. Here, we use an in situ seed baiting experiment along with molecular fingerprinting techniques and phylogenetic tests to identify the fungi associated with seedlings of two Pyroleae species, Pyrola chlorantha and Orthilia secunda. Our results indicate that similar to adult plants, Pyroleae seedlings can associate with a suite of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Some seedlings harboured single mycobionts, while others may have been inhabited by multiple fungi. The dominant seedling mycobiont of both Pyroleae species was a fungus of unknown trophic status in the order Sebacinales. This taxon was also the only one shared among seedlings of both investigated Pyroleae species. We discuss these results juxtaposed to orchids and one additional Pyrola species in the context of ontogenetic shifts in fungal host specificity for mycoheterotrophic nutrition.     

Atractiellomycetes belonging to the ‘rust’ lineage (Pucciniomycotina) form mycorrhizae with terrestrial and epiphytic neotropical orchids

Distinctive groups of fungi are involved in the diverse mycorrhizal associations of land plants. All previously known mycorrhiza-forming Basidiomycota associated with trees, ericads, liverworts or orchids are hosted in Agaricomycetes, Agaricomycotina. Here we demonstrate for the first time that Atractiellomycetes, members of the ‘rust’ lineage (Pucciniomycotina), are mycobionts of orchids. The mycobionts of 103 terrestrial and epiphytic orchid individuals, sampled in the tropical mountain rainforest of Southern Ecuador, were identified by sequencing the whole ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region and part of 28S rDNA. Mycorrhizae of 13 orchid individuals were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Simple septal pores and symplechosomes in the hyphal coils of mycorrhizae from four orchid individuals indicated members of Atractiellomycetes. Molecular phylogeny of sequences from mycobionts of 32 orchid individuals out of 103 samples confirmed Atractiellomycetes and the placement in Pucciniomycotina, previously known to comprise only parasitic and saprophytic fungi. Thus, our finding reveals these fungi, frequently associated to neotropical orchids, as the most basal living basidiomycetes involved in mycorrhizal associations of land plants.     

Mycorrhizal diversity in Apostasia (Orchidaceae) indicates the origin and evolution of orchid mycorrhiza

We demonstrated that "orchid mycorrhiza," a specialized mycorrhizal type, appeared in the common ancestor of the largest plant family Orchidaceae and that the fungal partner shifted from Glomeromycota to a particular clade of Basidiomycota in association with this character evolution. Several unique mycorrhizal characteristics may have contributed to the diversification of the family. However, the origin of orchid mycorrhiza and the diversity of mycobionts across orchid lineages still remain obscure. In this study, we investigated the mycorrhizae of five Apostasia taxa, members of the earliest-diverging clade of Orchidaceae. The results of molecular identification using nrDNA ITS and LSU regions showed that Apostasia mycorrhizal fungi belong to families Botryobasidiaceae and Ceratobasidiaceae, which fall within the order Cantharellales of Basidiomycota. Most major clades in Orchidaceae also form mycorrhizae with members of Cantharellales, while the sister group and other closely related groups to Orchidaceae (i.e., Asparagales except for orchids and the "commelinid" families) ubiquitously form symbioses with Glomeromycota to form arbuscular mycorrhizae. This pattern of symbiosis indicates that a major shift in fungal partner occurred in the common ancestor of the Orchidaceae.     

Orchid mycorrhiza: implications of a mycophagous life style

Orchid mycorrhiza probably affects about 25 000 plant species and thus roughly one tenth of all higher plants. Histologically, this symbiosis resembles other kinds of endomycorrhiza, the fungal hyphae growing within living plant cells. Considerable evidence, however, suggests that it is not a two‐way exchange relationship and thus not potentially mutualistic, such as the wide‐spread endomycorrhiza between plants and Glomalean fungi, known as arbuscular mycorrhiza. During the achlorophyllous seedling stage orchids are obligately dependent on the fungi; some species remain so through life, while others establish photosynthesis but to varying degrees remain facultatively dependent of /responsive to fungal infection as adults. None of the fungi involved are so far known to depend on the symbiosis with orchids. Transfer of organic carbon compounds from hyphae to the orchid has been demonstrated repeatedly, but it is not clear to what extent this takes place during a biotrophic phase while the intracellular hyphae remain intact, or during the subsequent extensive degradation of the hyphal coils. The advantage of viewing orchid mycorrhiza basically as a unilateral mycophagous relationship, in spite of hypothetical beneficial spin‐offs to the mycobiont, is that it provides a conceptual framework similar to that of other parasitic or fungivore relationships; mechanisms known in such relationships could be searched for in future studies of the orchid–fungus symbiosis. These could include mechanisms for recognition, attraction and selection of fungi, physiological regulation of internal hyphal growth, breakdown, and material transfer, nutritional consequences of the plant's preference(s) and trophic changes, fungal avoidance mechanisms, and consequences at population and ecosystem levels. A whole range of possible life strategies becomes apparent that could support divergent evolution and lead to the proliferation of species that has indeed occurred in the orchid family. We outline some of the possible physiological mechanisms and ecological implications of this approach.     

兰科菌根真菌研究方法的概述

兰科植物资源在全球分布广泛,其中有许多是重要的药用植物和名贵的珍稀花卉,由于具有较高的商业价值,受到各界人士的广泛关注。兰科植物生长习性的特殊性导致其在自然状态下繁殖率极低,因此难以满足市场的广泛需求。近年研究表明,几乎所有兰科植物都能与相应的菌根真菌建立共生关系,并且必须依赖于这些内生真菌才能完成其整个生活史。因而对菌根真菌在提高兰科植物生长速度和繁殖能力过程中机制的研究以及将研究成果运用于工业化育苗中将是缓解兰科植物市场供求紧张问题的关键。通过对近几年有关天麻和铁皮石斛等兰科植物的问题研究中所采用的研究方法加以阐述,以期对今后兰科菌根真菌的研究提供一定的参考。     

Colonization patterns of mycorrhizal fungi associated with two rare orchids, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cephalanthera</Emphasis> <Emphasis Type="Italic">falcata</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. erecta</Emphasis>

We investigated the spatial distribution and taxonomic identity of mycorrhizal fungi colonizing the root systems of two threatened Cephalanthera species, C. falcata and C. erecta, in naturally regenerated forests. Peloton formation was observed in both plant species, confirming the existence of orchid mycorrhizas. For C. falcata, mycorrhization was significantly different among individuals, ranging from 14 to 63%, and no significant difference among C. erecta individuals was detected (57–68%). Mycorrhization among three growth directions of roots and between orchid species was not significantly different. The spatial distribution of mycorrhizas in both orchids showed significant differences, being most frequent at an apical position. Based on DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analyses, we inferred that the families Thelephoraceae and Sebacinaceae were mycobionts for C. falcata and Thelephoraceae for C. erecta. Our findings indicated that mycorrhizal colonization occurs at a distal position from the base of these orchid root systems and that mycorrhizal fungi are restricted to few ectomycorrhizal fungal families.