Epichloë

Epichloë
Grass seed mushroom ( Epichloë typhina ) on meadow bluegrass
Systematics
Subdivision : Real ascent mushrooms (Pezizomycotina) Class : Sordariomycetes Subclass : Hypocreomycetidae Order : Crust ball mushrooms (Hypocreales) Family : Clavicipitaceae Genre : Epichloë
Scientific name
Epichloë
( Fr. ) Tul. & C. Tul.

Epichloë is a fungal genus from the family of the ergot fungus relatives (Clavicipitaceae). They are symbionts that live endophytically in various sweet grasses from the subfamily Pooideae and help protect the host plant from eating. The type species of the genus Epichloë is the grass core mushroom ( Epichloë typhina ). The asexually reproducing relatives of Epichloë aregrouped togetherin the anamorphic genus Neotyphodium .

features

The representatives of the genus Epichloë are endophytic fungi that live in the intercellular spaces of the leaves and stems of their host plants and form a constitutive, symbiotic community with them. The host plant supplies the fungus with nutrients. In addition, the host plant controls the growth of the fungus. In return, the fungus protects the host plant against predators such as insects , herbivorous vertebrates and root-knot nematodes through its production of alkaloids . The fungus also improves the host plant's resistance to drought and controls its root growth and fruit ripening.

Ergovalin, one of the Epichloë spp. produced ergot alkaloids

Members of the genus Epichloë can produce several different alkaloids, including ergot alkaloids , in particular ergovalin and various clavins .

Temulin is a loline alkaloid

Lolitrem B is a lolitrem produced by Epichloë festucae

They can also form lolitreme and loline alkaloids (loline) - such as temulin (norlolin) isolated from tumbled lolch ( Lolium temulentum) - and the guanidinium alkaloid peramine . While Peramin and Loline act as insecticides , Lolitremes have a neurotoxic effect on vertebrates, which can be shown by tremors ( tremors ). Grazing cattle in particular can be affected by this effect if they consume grass, for example Lolium perenne ( perennial wolf ), which is infected with Epichloë . The various ergot alkaloids formed by Epichloë species also have a predominantly toxic effect on vertebrates . The symptoms caused by these in grazing cattle include weight loss, circulatory disorders, and disorders of reproductive capacity and lactation .

Spores and parts of the mycelium are also found in the seeds of the host plants. In this way, the community of fungus and host plant forms during seedling development.

Systematics

The genus Epichloë belongs within the family of ergot fungus relatives to the tribe Balansieae, which also includes the genera Atkinsonella , Balansia and Myriogenospora , which live endo- and epiphytic on various grasses .

The genus Neotyphodium is very closely related to the genus Epichloë . The main distinguishing feature is the lack of the sexual cycle in the genus Neotyphodium . Neotyphodium species evolve from representatives of the genus Epichloë , with hybridization processes having played an important role.

species

• Epichloë amarillans
• Epichloë baconii
• Epichloë brachyelytri
• Epichloë bromicola
• Epichloë clarkii
• Epichloë elymi
• Epichloë festucae
• Epichloë glyceriae
• Epichloë sylvatica
• Epichloë typhina

Individual evidence

1. ^ B. Scott, D. Takemoto, A. Tanaka: Fungal Endophyte Production of Reactive Oxygen Species is Critical for Maintaining the Mutualistic Symbiotic Interaction Between Epichloë festucae and Perennial Ryegrass . In: Plant Signal Behav . 2, No. 3, 2007, pp. 171-173. PMID 19704747 .
2. ↑ CL Schardl, A. Leuchtmann, MJ Spiering: Symbioses of grasses with seedborne fungal endophytes . In: Annu Rev Plant Biol . 55, 2004, pp. 315-340. doi : 10.1146 / annurev.arplant.55.031903.141735 . PMID 15377223 .
3. ^ LP Bush, HH Wilkinson, CL Schardl: Bioprotective Alkaloids of Grass-Fungal Endophyte Symbioses . In: Plant Physiol. . 114, No. 1, May 1997, pp. 1-7. ISSN 1532-2548 . PMID 12223685 .  
4. ↑ HF Tsai, JS Liu, C. Staben, MJ Christensen, GC Latch, MR Siegel, CL Schardl: Evolutionary diversification of fungal endophytes of tall fescue grass by hybridization with Epichloë species . In: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA . 91, No. 7, 1994, pp. 2542-2546. PMID 8172623 .
5. ^ CD Moon, KD Craven, A. Leuchtmann, SL Clement, CL Schardl: Prevalence of interspecific hybrids amongst asexual fungal endophytes of grasses . In: Mol. Ecol. . 13, No. 6, 2004, pp. 1455-1467. doi : 10.1111 / j.1365-294X.2004.02138.x . PMID 15140090 .

Web links

Commons : Epichloë  - collection of images, videos and audio files