Rush, T., et al. 2020. Nature Communications
Lipo-chitooligosaccharides as regulatory signals of fungal growth and development
Tomás Rush, Virginie PUech-Pagès, Adeline Bascaules, Patricia Jargeat, Fabienne Maillet, Alexandra Haouy, Arthur QuyManh Maës, Cristobal Carriel, Devanshi Khokhani, Michelle Keller-Pearson, Joanna Tannous, Kevin Cope, Kevin Garcia, Junko Maeda, Chad Johnson, Bailey Kleven, Quanita Choudhury, Jessy Labbé, Candics Swift, Michelle O’Malley, Jin Woo Bok, Sylvain Cottaz, Sébastien Fort, Verna Poinsot, Michael Sussman, Corinne Lefort, Jeniel Nett, Nancy Keller, and Guillaume Bécard
4 August 2020, Nature Communications 11: Article 3897; doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17615-5
Abstract
Lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs) are signaling molecules produced by rhizobial bacteria that trigger the nodulation process in legumes, and by some fungi that also establish symbiotic relationships with plants, notably the arbuscular and ecto mycorrhizal fungi. Here, we show that many other fungi also produce LCOs. We tested 59 species representing most fungal phyla, and found that 53 species produce LCOs that can be detected by functional assays and/or by mass spectroscopy. LCO treatment affects spore germination, branching of hyphae, pseudohyphal growth, and transcription in non-symbiotic fungi from the Ascomycete and Basidiomycete phyla. Our findings suggest that LCO production is common among fungi, and LCOs may function as signals regulating fungal growth and development.
