Research MycorrhizaBlackwell Publishing, Ltd. helper bacterium Streptomyces AcH 505 induces differential gene expression in the ectomycorrhizal fungus Amanita muscaria Silvia D. Schrey, Michael Schellhammer, Margret Ecke, Rüdiger Hampp and Mika T. Tarkka University of Tübingen, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Botany, Physiological Ecology of Plants, Auf der Morgenstelle 1, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany Summary Author for correspondence: • The interaction between the mycorrhiza helper bacteria Streptomyces nov. sp. Mika Tarkka 505 (AcH 505) and Streptomyces annulatus 1003 (AcH 1003) with fly agaric Tel: +40 7071 2976154 (Amanita muscaria) and spruce (Picea abies) was investigated. Fax: +49 7071 295635 • The effects of both bacteria on the mycelial growth of different ectomycorrhizal Email:
[email protected] fungi, on ectomycorrhiza formation, and on fungal gene expression in dual culture Received: 3 May 2005 with AcH 505 were determined. Accepted: 16 June 2005 • The fungus specificities of the streptomycetes were similar. Both bacterial species showed the strongest effect on the growth of mycelia at 9 wk of dual culture. The effect of AcH 505 on gene expression of A. muscaria was examined using the suppressive subtractive hybridization approach. The responsive fungal genes included those involved in signalling pathways, metabolism, cell structure, and the cell growth response. • These results suggest that AcH 505 and AcH 1003 enhance mycorrhiza formation mainly as a result of promotion of fungal growth, leading to changes in fungal gene expression. Differential A. muscaria transcript accumulation in dual culture may result from a direct response to bacterial substances. Key words: acetoacyl coenzyme A synthetase, Amanita muscaria, cyclophilin, ectomycorrhiza, mycorrhiza helper bacteria, streptomycetes, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH).