Abstract
Fungal endophyte associations have been suggested as a possible strategy of Antarctic vascular plants for surviving the extreme environmental conditions of Antarctica. However, the mechanisms by which this occurs are still poorly understood. The role of root fungal endophytes in nitrogen mineralization and nutrient uptake, as well as their impact on the performance of Antarctic plants, were studied. We tested root endophytes, isolated from Colobanthus quitensis and Deschampsia antarctica, for lignocellulolytic enzyme production, nitrogen mineralization, and growth enhancement of their host plants. Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium brevicompactum were identified using a molecular approach as the main root endophytes inhabiting C. quitensis and D. antarctica, respectively. Both root endophytes were characterized as psychrophilic fungi displaying amylase, esterase, protease, cellulase, hemicellulase, phosphatase and urease enzymatic activities, mainly at 4 °C. Moreover, the rates and percentages of nitrogen mineralization, as well as the final total biomass, were significantly higher in symbiotic C. quitensis and D. antarctica individuals. Our findings suggest that root endophytes exert a pivotal ecological role based not only to breakdown different nutrient sources but also on accelerating nitrogen mineralization, improving nutrient acquisition, and therefore promoting plant growth in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), the Chilean Navy (AP-41 “Aquiles” and AP-46 “Almirante Oscar Viel"), and the Arctowski Polish Antarctic Station for their logistical support. We want to thank C. Fardella and M.A. Montoya for his valuable help in the lab and growth chamber experiments. This work was supported by The National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development, FONDECYT Postdoctoral Grant Nº 3140279, and the INACH G22-11 Grant of Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH). This work is dedicated to Professor Hugo I. Moyano† (October 2014), Zoology Department, University of Concepción for his contribution to Chilean Antarctic Research and to the memory of Dr. Jaime Rodríguez G. †, Director of Center of Biotechnology, University of Concepción (February 2017).
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Oses-Pedraza, R., Torres-Díaz, C., Lavín, P. et al. Root endophytic Penicillium promotes growth of Antarctic vascular plants by enhancing nitrogen mineralization. Extremophiles 24, 721–732 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-020-01189-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-020-01189-7