ABSTRACT
Lipids and sterols in ECM fungus Pisolithus tinctorius and its host Pinus sylvestris differ markedly when in an asymbiotic state. Immediately after the establishment of symbiotic association, saturated fatty acids in the neutral fatty acid fraction increased significantly and stayed in an elevated state. In due course, all of the saturated fatty acids appeared in the extraradical fungal mycelium and steadily increased in concentration. Clearly, lipids are transported from plant roots to fungus during symbiosis. In comparison, only a small fraction of plant-specific sterols were detected in extraradical mycelium. In view of these observations, Laczko et al. (2004) argue that lipid transfer from plant to ECM fungus might be an important mode of carbon transfer during ECM symbiosis.
