Effects of external phosphate concentration on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase gene expression in the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices

Specific primers were developed to amplify a 227 bp segment of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices gene encoding glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), an enzyme involved in the pentose phosphate pathway. G6PDH gene expression was measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase – polymerase chain reaction in response to phosphorus (P) concentrations in the growth medium of colonized transformed carrot roots. We investigated the effects of different P concentration treatments on carbon (C) metabolism within the intraradical mycelia of G. intraradices. The results showed a significant (P = 0.017) down-regulation of G6PDH expression in the intraradical mycelia of G. intraradices cultures grown in high P than low P conditions but no significant difference in regulation in excessive P concentrations when compared with the low P or high P concentrations. These results indicate that a reduction in the C flow from the host could be occurring as a result of elevated P and that a decrease in fungal G6PDH gene expression occurs, but not in the short term (less than 2 h). Reduced C flow from the host could lead to reduced fungal growth and root colonization, as was observed under high soil P conditions.Key words: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, phosphorus, nutrient uptake, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, gene expression.