From Chaos Comes Order: Genetics and Genome Biology of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate mutualists that can enhance nutrition and growth of their plant hosts while providing protection against pathogens. AMF produce spores and hyphal networks that can carry thousands of nuclei in a continuous cytoplasm, with no evidence of sexual reproduction. This review examines the impact of genomic technologies on our view of AMF genetics and evolution. We highlight how the genetics, nuclear dynamics, and epigenetics of these prominent symbionts follow trends preserved in distant multinucleate fungal relatives. We also propose new avenues of research to improve our understanding of their nuclear biology and their intricate genetic interactions with plant hosts.