Paolocci Francesco, Rubini Andrea, Riccioni Claudia, Arcioni Sergio
National Research Council, Plant Genetics Institute, Perugia Division, Via Madonna Alta 130, I-06128 Perugia, Italy.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2006 Apr;72(4):2390-3. doi: 10.1128/AEM.72.4.2390-2393.2006.
Tuber spp. are ectomycorrhizal ascomycetes that produce ascocarps known as truffles. Basic aspects of Tuber biology have yet to be fully elucidated. In particular, there are conflicting hypotheses concerning the mating system and the ploidy level of the mycorrhizal and truffle hyphae. We used polymorphic microsatellites to compare the allelic configurations of asci with those from the network of the surrounding hyphae in single Tuber magnatum truffles. We then used these truffles to inoculate host plants and evaluated the microsatellite configurations of the resulting mycorrhizal root tips. These analyses provide direct evidence that T. magnatum outcrosses and that its life cycle is predominantly haploid. In addition to its scientific significance, this basic understanding of the T. magnatum life cycle may have practical importance in developing strategies to obtain and select nursery-produced mycorrhizal plants as well as in the management of artificial plantations of this and other Tuber spp.
块菌属是外生菌根子囊菌,可产生称为松露的子囊果。块菌生物学的基本方面尚未完全阐明。特别是,关于交配系统以及菌根和松露菌丝的倍性水平存在相互矛盾的假设。我们使用多态性微卫星来比较单个意大利白块菌松露中子囊的等位基因构型与周围菌丝网络的等位基因构型。然后我们用这些松露接种宿主植物,并评估所得菌根根尖的微卫星构型。这些分析提供了直接证据,表明意大利白块菌进行异交,其生命周期主要是单倍体。除了其科学意义外,对意大利白块菌生命周期的这种基本了解在制定获取和选择苗圃生产的菌根植物的策略以及管理该种和其他块菌属的人工种植园方面可能具有实际重要性。