RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Physiological Responses and Gene Co-Expression Network of Mycorrhizal Roots under K+ Deprivation JF Plant Physiology JO Plant Physiol. FD American Society of Plant Biologists SP 1811 OP 1823 DO 10.1104/pp.16.01959 VO 173 IS 3 A1 Garcia, Kevin A1 Chasman, Deborah A1 Roy, Sushmita A1 Ané, Jean-Michel YR 2017 UL http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/173/3/1811.abstract AB Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) associations enhance the phosphorous and nitrogen nutrition of host plants, but little is known about their role in potassium (K+) nutrition. Medicago truncatula plants were cocultured with the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis under high and low K+ regimes for 6 weeks. We determined how K+ deprivation affects plant development and mineral acquisition and how these negative effects are tempered by the AM colonization. The transcriptional response of AM roots under K+ deficiency was analyzed by whole-genome RNA sequencing. K+ deprivation decreased root biomass and external K+ uptake and modulated oxidative stress gene expression in M. truncatula roots. AM colonization induced specific transcriptional responses to K+ deprivation that seem to temper these negative effects. A gene network analysis revealed putative key regulators of these responses. This study confirmed that AM associations provide some tolerance to K+ deprivation to host plants, revealed that AM symbiosis modulates the expression of specific root genes to cope with this nutrient stress, and identified putative regulators participating in these tolerance mechanisms.GlossaryAMarbuscular mycorrhizalRNA-seqRNA sequencingNMnonmycorrhizedICP-OESinductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometryROSreactive oxygen speciesGOGene OntologyDEGdifferentially expressed gene