Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and plant aquaporin expression

Establishment of the symbiosis between plants and mycorrhizal fungi is accompanied by structural changes in the plant root. During arbuscule formation fungal hyphae penetrate the root apoplast and install highly specialized interfaces for solute transport between plant and fungus. The periarbuscular membrane surrounding arbuscular structures contains a high density of transport systems. Among these also aquaporins, which potentially can act as a low affinity transport system for ammonia or ammonium.