Plant-endophytic fungi interactions: A strigolactone perspective

Abstract

Symbiotic associations between endophytic fungi, hereon referred to as mycoendophytes, and their hosts involve several metabolic and regulatory processes. The exact molecular signal mechanisms that underlie these interactions are largely unidentified. Nevertheless, phytohormones seem to play key roles in the establishment and perpetuation of these symbiotic associations including plant-mycoendophyte symbiosis. Strigolactones, a group of apocarotenoid phytohormones, are known to influence both plant and fungal developmental processes e.g. modulation of host-root parasitic plant interactions and the activation of hyphae growth and branching. However, their role in plant-mycoendophyte interactions remains largely undescribed. Here, we provide a concise synthesis of current scientific knowledge on strigolactone influences in shaping plant-mycoendophyte symbiotic interactions, while also providing some perspective and research directions on critical molecular, physiological and ecological aspects that hold promise to deepen our understanding of this biologically and ecologically significant interaction.

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