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The occurrence of anastomosis formation and nuclear exchange in intact arbuscular mycorrhizal networks
Author(s) -
Giovannetti Manuela,
Fortuna Paola,
Citernesi Anna Silvia,
Morini Stefano,
Nuti Marco Paolo
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.0028-646x.2001.00216.x
Subject(s) - hypha , mycelium , biology , botany , glomus , cytoplasmic streaming , mycorrhiza , symbiosis , microbiology and biotechnology , spore , cytoplasm , bacteria , genetics
Summary• The widespread occurrence of anastomoses and nuclear migration in intact extraradical arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) networks is reported here. • Visualization and quantification of intact extramatrical hyphae spreading from colonized roots into the surrounding environment was obtained by using a two‐dimensional experimental model system. • After 7 d the length of extraradical mycelium in the AM symbiont Glomus mosseae ranged from 5169 mm in Thymus vulgaris to 7096 mm in Prunus cerasifera and 7471 mm in Allium porrum , corresponding to 10, 16 and 40 mm mm −1 root length, respectively. In mycelium spreading from colonized roots of P. cerasifera and T. vulgaris , contacts leading to hyphal fusion were 64% and 78%, with 0.46 and 0.51 anastomoses mm −1 of hypha, respectively. Histochemical localization of succinate dehydrogenase activity in hyphal bridges demonstrated protoplasmic continuity, while the detection of nuclei in the hyphal bridges confirmed the viability of anastomosed hyphae. • The ability of AM extraradical mycelium to form anastomosis and to exchange nuclei suggests that, beyond the nutritional flow, an information flow might also be active in the network.