Untapped mutualistic paradigms linking host plant and endophytic fungal production of similar bioactive secondary metabolites

► Plants and endophytic fungi can occasionally produce similar bioactive compounds. ► Endophytes interact with coexisting endophytes, host plant, and insect herbivores. ► Early signaling mechanism influencing such endophyte interactions should be studied. ► Elucidating the molecular basis of such multifaceted interactions is also important. ► These distinct interactions can trigger similar chemical responses in the partners.