This project will study the ecology and evolution of a group of microscopic fungi that live inside plant leaves (called endophytes), but do not appear to cause harm to their plant hosts. Endophytic fungi are one of the most diverse groups of fungi yet remain poorly known overall. A critical barrier to understanding how endophytic fungi evolve is the lack of a well-characterized model endophyte species and a foundation of basic knowledge about its biology, global distribution, evolutionary history and genome characteristics. The goal of this project is to develop this foundational knowledge for the most common endophytic fungus of pine trees, the genus Lophodermium. Researchers will use phylogenetic and comparative genomic methods to test how the endophytic species have diversified in relation to their plant hosts and their environment. Results will lead to the discovery and description of endophytic fungal species new to science and new techniques that will accelerate the characterization of others. Broader impacts of the research will yield new insights for conserving cryptic biodiversity and facilitate the discovery of novel fungal biochemicals, such as antibiotics and enzymes for biofuel production. Researchers will train graduate and undergraduate students, including members of under-represented groups, in diverse disciplines ranging from evolutionary ecology and bioinformatics to molecular engineering.
This project will generate the first integrative, global phylogenomic study of Lophodermium (ca. 100 species; Class Leotiomycetes, Phylum Ascomycota) to understand the diversity and specificity of the plant-endophyte symbiotic interaction. This research will address fundamental ecological and evolutionary questions concerning the origin and diversification of fungal endophyte species, specifically addressing how adaptations to different plant host species may lead to the speciation of endophytes. Genomic and transcriptomic data of diverse Lophodermium species will be generated to help identify underlying molecular signatures that have contributed to speciation and adaptation to Pinus host species. The project will also develop tools, such as in situ fluorescence probes, and cyber-platforms that will transform the current approach to exploring, analyzing and synthesizing the life history of cryptic endophytes. Project outcomes will strengthen research infrastructure by building plant and microbial reference collections as well as open-access software to speed research collaborations and syntheses of taxonomic data.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
