Research Interests
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Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are a group of ancient fungi that form a mutualistic symbiosis with most land plants influencing plant productivity, survival, and composition. Multiple AMF can co-colonize many plant species simultaneously creating extensive interconnected mycorrhizal networks bellow our feet. Our research focuses on better understanding the evolutionary significance of the AMF unique cell biology across scales and specifically how that affects the function and fitness of the interconnected fungi and plants, in diverse abiotic and biotic conditions.
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​Cell
Via a combination of high resolution molecular methods, advanced microscopy, and imaging analysis, we examine how lipids, nuclei, mitochondria and other organelles are arranged, coordinated and interact with one another within the coenocytic AMF cells.
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Real time lipid flow in an AM fungal hyphae. fluorescent miscropsopy using Nile red
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Credit: Rachael Cargill
Nuclei (green) and lipids (red) in a spore of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis​​
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Credit: Rachael Cargill
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Nuclear density inside runner hyphae of the AMF Rhizophagus irregularis. Automated nuclear segmentation on DAPI labeled nuclei
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Credit: Sander van Otterdijk
Network
By including trait quantification approaches in combination to the previously mentioned molecular and microscopy techniques we aim to understand in depth how AMF hyphae expands and how complex hyphal networks are formed and regulated. We also explore AMF intrastrain interactions and their role at the connectedness of the mycelia. Finally, expanding beyond monoaxenic AMF-plant interactions we also explore how the presence of bacteria alters the morphology and function of fungal hyphae and spores, and how they affect the mycorrhizal networks and the overall symbiosis.
Hyphal network growth of the species Rhizophagus irregularis over time (sped up)
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Credit: Corentin Bisot
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Nuclear content and distribution across the hyphal network of the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. DAPI stained nuclei in a fixed sample
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Credit: Sander van Otterdijk
RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization in the hyphae of the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. Here we tag single mRNA molecules with fluorescent probes.
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Credit: Sander van Otterdijk
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Interaction interface between the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and NOSTOC cyanobacteria. Scanning electron microscopy image.
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Credit: Victoria Terry
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Ecosystem
Finally with the inclusion of biochemical assessment methods of in vitro, in plantae and field experiments, we are interested in whether/how the AMF cell dynamics affect the: plant response, plant community composition and ecosystem functioning across environmental gradients.
