ABC transporter and metallothionein expression affected by NI and Epichloe endophyte infection in tall fescue

• Epichloe coenophiala improved Ni tolerance in F. arundinacea as a host plant.
• Endophyte infected plants showed less ABC and MET expression compared to the endophyte free plants.
• In endophyte free plants, increase in H2O2 might be involved in the up-regulation of ABC and MET under Ni stress.
• Endophyte infection reduced soluble carbohydrate content of the roots under Ni stress.

Epichloe endophytes are symbiotic fungi which unlike mycorrhiza grow within aerial parts of host plants. The fungi may increase host tolerance to both biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, the effect of endophyte infection on growth and tolerance, carbohydrate contents and ABC (ABC transporter) and MET (metallothionein) expression in the leaves of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) plants cultivated in Ni polluted soil were evaluated. The endophyte infected (E+) and non-infected (E−) fescue plants were cultivated in soil under different Ni concentrations (30, 90 and 180 mg kg−1). Growth parameters including root, shoot, total biomass, tiller number and total chlorophyll content of plants and H2O2 content of shoots were measured at the end of experiment. Ni translocation to the shoots, carbohydrate contents in roots and expression of ABC and MET of the leaves were also measured after 10 weeks of growth. Results demonstrated the beneficial effect of endophyte association on growth and Ni tolerance of tall fescue under Ni stress through an avoidance mechanism (reduction of Ni accumulation and translocation to the shoots). Endophyte infected plants showed less ABC and MET expression compared to the endophyte free plants. In endophyte free plants, H2O2 production had a significant positive correlation with genes expression, indicating that an increase in H2O2 might be involved in the up-regulation of ABC and MET under Ni stress.

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