Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis enhances tolerance to low phosphorous through expression of phosphate transporter genes in masson pine (Pinus massoniana)

Ectomycorrhizal symbiosis promotes the growth of masson pine (Pinus massoniana) in low-phosphorus (low-P) conditions; however, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon has not yet been fully described. Here, we cloned four members of the Pht1 phosphate transporter protein family (GenBank accession: AMR43649.1 to AMR43652.1) encoding phosphate transporters in masson pine (PmPTs) by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and characterized them in Boletus edulis and Pisolithus tinctorius colonized plants under low-P stress. PmPT1 to PmPT4 encoded 548, 548, 535, 535 amino acid polypeptides, respectively, containing the typical domain of the Pi:H+ symporter (PHS-transporter). Homology multiple sequence alignment indicated that these PmPTs were highly similar to phosphate transporters from other species. The polypeptides were characterized by high hydropathicity and contained 12 putative intra-membrane regions and 1 cytoplasmic loop. The temporal and spatial expression profiles showed higher expression of these PmPTs in ectomycorrhiza (ECM)-inoculated plants compared to non-inoculated ones. In addition, expressions of these PmPT members shared a similar pattern and might be intensively activated by low-P stress or inhibited under P excess. Interestingly, the ECM-colonized plants accumulated more phosphate compared to non-ECM-colonized specimens when exposed to low-P. Therefore, enhanced low-P tolerance in ECM-inoculated masson pine to low-P stress was at least partially dependent on the up-regulation of phosphate transporter genes, reflecting that the intimate interaction between plants and ECM fungi resulted in the improvement of P nutrition.