Deciphering functional interaction between orchids and symbiotic fungi
My project deals with the functional aspects of the interaction between the orchid Serapias vomeracea and the fungus Tulasnella calospora. All orchids, during early development, fully depent on symbiotic interactions with specific soil fungi and form a heterotrophic protocorm that acquires nutrients from its mycorrhizal partner. In comparison with other mycorrhizal associations, however, the cellular and molecular aspects of the orchid-fungus interactiom have been largely neglected, so the aim of this project is to obtain new information about the molecular mechanisms at the basis of this association.
Taking advantage of the Tulasnella calospora transcriptome data, obtain in the frame of the "Mycorrhizal Genome Initiative", I will focus on genes involved in plant and fungus metabolism, in order to understand better the molecular aspects of this peculiar type of interaction.
