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The role of trehalose in mycorrhizal associations
Šoch, Jan ; Ponert, Jan (advisor) ; Hála, Michal (referee)
Mycorrhizal symbiosis is a widely spread phenomenon in nature. A translocation of nutrients occurs between symbionts with disaccharide trehalose playing a key role in the process. However, this saccharide fulfils many important roles in metabolism of fungi and plants. Fungi use trehalose mainly as storage and transport saccharide. On the other hand, trehalose occurs in extremely low amounts in plants where it acts as a signal molecule. Thus it is likely that the saccharide could be used by the fungus to manipulate plant metabolism on a physical interface between symbionts. Trehalose has a similar function in many parasitic interactions. In most cases of mycorrhizal associations trehalose synthesis creates a carbon sink in mycelium which leads to saccharide transfer from the host plant to the fungus. Completely different situation occurs in the types of mycorrhizal symbiosis, where saccharides are translocated from a fungus to a plant. Some plants can utilize trehalose effectively as a sole source of energy. Consequently, the question raises - could such plants gain fungal trehalose on purpose as a source of energy and carbon? This review aims to assess and discuss the mentioned possibilities considering available literature. Key words: mycorrhiza, orchids, parazitism, saccharides, sink, symbiosis,...
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Orchids as a model for research in ecophysiological adaptations of mycoheterotropic plants
Ponert, Jan ; Lipavská, Helena (advisor) ; Gryndler, Milan (referee) ; Chrtek, Jindřich (referee)
Perhaps all orchids are mycotrophic at early developmental stages, while majority of species photosynthesize at adulthood and only about 200 species remain fully mycotrophic for the whole life. Mycotrophy affects orchids at many levels. In this thesis, I focus on four aspects of orchid biology, which could be connected with mycotrophy: (i) systematics, (ii) genome size and endoreduplication, (iii) regulation of seed germination and (iv) mechanism of transfer of carbon and energy from fungi to orchids. There are over 27,000 recently recognized orchid species, nevertheless new ones are still discovering and old ones are revisiting. In this work I present a description of new species, Cleisostoma yersinii, and its morphological, anatomical, ecological and systematic characterization. Phylogeny reconstruction confirmed relationship with C. birmanicum. In the subtribe Podochileae, I reappraised the genus Campanulorchis to establish monophyletic but also morphologically defined group. For both abovementioned genera I prepared the artificial identification key. In the genus Dactylorhiza I revised taxa present in our country and I prepared an identification key which firstly mentions D. maculata subsp. elodes from Czech Republic. Orchid species diversity is probably reflected in genome structure. Results...
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Encystation and life cycle of free living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba spp.
Bínová, Eva ; Nohýnková, Eva (advisor) ; Dyková, Iva (referee) ; Ondriska, František (referee)
Amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba spp. are free-living unicellular organisms found in disparate ecosystems all over the world. Due to their ability to invade human body, evade its defensive mechanisms and cause extensive tissue damage, Acanthamoeba infection can lead to serious, if rare, diseases, affecting most commonly the eye and the central nervous system. Specific therapy for Acanthamoeba infections is not available. A major reason for therapeutic failure in ameobiasis is the ability of the protist to differentiate into resistant stages. These are cysts, known to be formed under prolonged unfavorable conditions, both in the environment and the infected tissues, and the pseudocysts, less durable but rapidly formed under acute stress. The present thesis focuses on as yet unexplored mechanisms of resistance of cysts and pseudocysts. Moreover, further characteristics distinguishing cysts and pseudocysts as well as the processes involved in their formation are investigated. One of the issues addressed is a presence of protective carbohydrate compounds mannitol and trehalose that participate in defensive reactions against abiotic stress in many organisms. Although putative genes for enzymes of the trehalose and mannitol synthetic pathways are present in the genome of Acanthamoeba, only one of the...
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Orchids as a model for research in ecophysiological adaptations of mycoheterotropic plants
Ponert, Jan ; Lipavská, Helena (advisor) ; Gryndler, Milan (referee) ; Chrtek, Jindřich (referee)
Perhaps all orchids are mycotrophic at early developmental stages, while majority of species photosynthesize at adulthood and only about 200 species remain fully mycotrophic for the whole life. Mycotrophy affects orchids at many levels. In this thesis, I focus on four aspects of orchid biology, which could be connected with mycotrophy: (i) systematics, (ii) genome size and endoreduplication, (iii) regulation of seed germination and (iv) mechanism of transfer of carbon and energy from fungi to orchids. There are over 27,000 recently recognized orchid species, nevertheless new ones are still discovering and old ones are revisiting. In this work I present a description of new species, Cleisostoma yersinii, and its morphological, anatomical, ecological and systematic characterization. Phylogeny reconstruction confirmed relationship with C. birmanicum. In the subtribe Podochileae, I reappraised the genus Campanulorchis to establish monophyletic but also morphologically defined group. For both abovementioned genera I prepared the artificial identification key. In the genus Dactylorhiza I revised taxa present in our country and I prepared an identification key which firstly mentions D. maculata subsp. elodes from Czech Republic. Orchid species diversity is probably reflected in genome structure. Results...
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Utilization of trehalose in orchids: evolution of trehalase genes
Šoch, Jan ; Ponert, Jan (advisor) ; Hála, Michal (referee)
All orchid species studied so far have been shown to participate in orchideoid mycorrhizal symbiosis. Morover, this symbiosis is absolutely vital component of their life cycle. Exchange of nutrients occurs between symbionts where the fungi provides the orchid with energy and carbon supply at least in its early developmental stages. This study focuses on the possible role of trehalose in this transfer. In vitro experiments have showed in five species from three different subfamilies of Orchidaceae family that they can utilize trehalose comparably with sucrose and glucose. Thus, the ability of trehalose utilization seems to be conserved among orchids. Trehalase enzyme activity was localized histochemically in orchid mycorrhizas. The activity strongly colocalized with colonized tissue supporting a hypothesis that trehalose transfer occurs in this site and is mediated by trehalase. Using bioinformatic methods, trehalase gene duplications were identified in many taxons of Embryophyta including three orchid species. Interestingly, highest number of trehalase gene copies was identified in genome of orchid Dactylorhiza majalis. Trehalose utilization, high trehalase activity in mycorrhizas and trehalase gene duplications in some orchids together indicate that trehalose transfer in orchid myccorhizas...
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The role of trehalose in mycorrhizal associations
Šoch, Jan ; Ponert, Jan (advisor) ; Hála, Michal (referee)
Mycorrhizal symbiosis is a widely spread phenomenon in nature. A translocation of nutrients occurs between symbionts with disaccharide trehalose playing a key role in the process. However, this saccharide fulfils many important roles in metabolism of fungi and plants. Fungi use trehalose mainly as storage and transport saccharide. On the other hand, trehalose occurs in extremely low amounts in plants where it acts as a signal molecule. Thus it is likely that the saccharide could be used by the fungus to manipulate plant metabolism on a physical interface between symbionts. Trehalose has a similar function in many parasitic interactions. In most cases of mycorrhizal associations trehalose synthesis creates a carbon sink in mycelium which leads to saccharide transfer from the host plant to the fungus. Completely different situation occurs in the types of mycorrhizal symbiosis, where saccharides are translocated from a fungus to a plant. Some plants can utilize trehalose effectively as a sole source of energy. Consequently, the question raises - could such plants gain fungal trehalose on purpose as a source of energy and carbon? This review aims to assess and discuss the mentioned possibilities considering available literature. Key words: mycorrhiza, orchids, parazitism, saccharides, sink, symbiosis,...
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Trehalose metabolism gene manipulations and improving plant abiotic stress tolerance
Hamet, Jaromír ; Lipavská, Helena (advisor) ; Hála, Michal (referee)
In these days, genetic modifications of crops are commonly used in the fight against pests and weeds. More and more often there are also efforts to use genetic modifications to increase tolerance to abiotic stresses that affect worldwide yields much more than biotic ones. Manipulation of trehalose metabolism represents one of the frequently studied options of abiotic stress tolerance enhancement. This work summarizes current knowledge on the protective effects of trehalose in cells and describes signaling functions of trehalose and its metabolic intermediate trehalose-6-phosphate in plants. It also describes current achievements in increasing abiotic stress tolerance through genetic modifications of trehalose metabolism together with accompanying problems. Finally, the potential of this method for future exploitation is discussed.
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