Lipo-chitooligosaccharides as regulatory signals of fungal growth and development

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 3897
• Main Authors: Rush, Tomás Allen, Puech-Pagès, Virginie, Bascaules, Adeline, Jargeat, Patricia, Maillet, Fabienne, Haouy, Alexandra, Maës, Arthur QuyManh, Carriel, Cristobal Carrera, Khokhani, Devanshi, Keller-Pearson, Michelle, Tannous, Joanna, Cope, Kevin R., Garcia, Kevin, Maeda, Junko, Johnson, Chad, Kleven, Bailey, Choudhury, Quanita J., Labbé, Jessy, Swift, Candice, O’Malley, Michelle A., Bok, Jin Woo, Cottaz, Sylvain, Fort, Sébastien, Poinsot, Verena, Sussman, Michael R., Lefort, Corinne, Nett, Jeniel, Keller, Nancy P., Bécard, Guillaume, Ané, Jean-Michel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 04.08.2020; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 45/91; 631/158/855; 631/326/193/2538; 631/326/193/2539; 631/326/88; 82/58; 96/63; Ascomycota - growth & development; Bacteria; BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; Basidiomycota - growth & development; Biochemistry; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Cellular microbiology; Chitin - analogs & derivatives; Chitin - metabolism; Chitosan; Ecology; Fatty Acids - metabolism; Fungal biology; Fungal ecology; Fungi; Fungi - growth & development; Fungi - metabolism; Germination; Humanities and Social Sciences; Hyphae; Legumes; Life Sciences; Mass spectroscopy; Microbial ecology; Microbiology and Parasitology; multidisciplinary; Mycology; Mycorrhizae - physiology; Nodulation; Oligosaccharides; Rhizobium - metabolism; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Signal Transduction - physiology; Signaling; Spore germination; Spores, Fungal - growth & development; Symbiosis - physiology; Transcription
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17615-5

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. Lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCOs) are signaling molecules produced by certain bacteria and fungi that establish symbiotic relationships with plants. Here, the authors show that LCOs are produced also by many other, non-symbiotic fungi, and regulate fungal growth and development.