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The physiology of the plant-mycorrhizal.fungus interface:
preliminary observations
poster
AYLING. S.M., S.E.SMITH & F.A.SMITH
Department of Soil Science, Waite Research Institute,
University of Adelaide, Adelaide, S.A.5064, Australia
ICOM1 Abstract
The symbiosis between a host plant and mycorrhizal fungus
involves bidirectional transfer of nutrients. Numerous
workers have demonstrated enhanced uptake of phosphorous from
the soil to the plant in the presence of mycorrhizal fungi;
and export of carbon metabolites from the plant to the fungal
hyphae. The mechanisms controlling these transfers must
involve some modification of both plant and fungal membranes.
There is no information about the physiological conditions in
the region of contact between the two organisms.
Histochemical techniques have demonstrated high ATPase
activity in the periarbuscular membrane, while molecular
biological methods have identified a phosphate transporter in
a VAM fungus. In the absence of detailed knowledge of the
membrane potentials and ionic gradients in this zone the
functional behaviour of these proteins can only be assumed.
In this study we are combining electrophysiological
techniques and confocal laser.scanning microscopy to
characterise the host-fungus interface.