Background Lichen is a classic mutualistic organism and the lichenization is one of the
fungal symbioses. The lichen-forming fungus Endocarpon pusillum is living in symbiosis …

Avicennia marina is a widely distributed mangrove species that thrives in high-salinity
habitats. It plays a significant role in supporting coastal ecosystem and holds unique …

Background Seed dimorphism has been thought to be a bet-hedging strategy that helps
plants survive in the disturbed environment and has been widely studied for its ecological …

Plants associate through their roots with fungal assemblages that impact their abundance
and productivity. Non-mycorrhizal endophytes constitute an important component of such …

Genomes store information at scales beyond the linear nucleotide sequence, which impacts
genome function at the level of an individual, while influences on populations and long-term …

The filamentous ascomycete Sordaria macrospora accumulates melanin during sexual
development. The four melanin biosynthesis genes pks, teh, sdh and tih were isolated and …

Epichloë spp. often form mutualistic interactions with cool-season grasses, such as Lolium
perenne. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction remain poorly …

Background During the disease cycle, plant pathogenic fungi exhibit a morphological
transition between hyphal growth (the phase of active infection) and the production of long …

Endophytes are microbes that live, for at least a portion of their life history, within plant
tissues. Endophyte assemblages are often composed of a few abundant taxa and many …

Endophytic fungi, pivotal in facilitating plant co-evolution, significantly enhance plant growth,
stress resistance, and environmental adaptability. Despite their importance, the spatial …