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Poster

Session: Session 2 Presenting Authors at Posters (Evens)

P-344 - High melanization of dark septate endophytes: an advantageous trait for plant colonization and stress tolerance (DARK&STRONG)

Thursday, July 17, 2025
13:30 - 15:15  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Plant microbiota functions and intermicrobial interactions

    Presenting Author(s)

  • DA

    Dalia A. Gaber Mahmoud

    Erfurt University of Applied Science
    Erfurt, Thuringen, Germany

    • Author(s)

  • LL

    Luca Lass

    Biochemistry/Biotechnology, Campus Insel Poel, Faculty of Engineering, Hochschule Wismar University of Applied Sciences Technology, Business and Design
    wismar, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany

  • jz

    jun zhou

    Université de Franche-Comté, CNRS
    Montbéliard, Franche-Comte, France

  • xL

    xin li Li

    Université de Franche-Comté, CNRS,
    Montbéliard, Franche-Comte, France

  • AM

    Abigaïl Maës

    Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC
    Nancy, Lorraine, France

  • FH

    Falk Hilmann

    Biochemistry/Biotechnology, Campus Insel Poel, Faculty of Engineering, Hochschule Wismar University of Applied Sciences Technology, Business and Design,
    wismar, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany

  • PF

    Philipp Franken

    Erfurt Research Centre for Horticultural Crops, University of Applied Sciences
    erfurt, Thuringen, Germany

  • MC

    Michal Chalot

    Université de Franche-Comté, CNRS, Chrono-environnement, F-25200 Montbéliard, France
    Montbéliard, Franche-Comte, France

  • DB

    Damien Blaudez

    4 Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LIEC,
    Nancy, Lorraine, France

Dark septate endophytes (DSEs) are a sub-group of root endophytes that are highly melanized, found worldwide, particularly under stress conditions. They have a high potential to form successful symbiotic association in plant production systems. The objective of the this project is to understand the melanization process in a model DSE species (Rhexocercosporidium sp.) and what role high melanization plays in stress tolerance and root colonization of host plants. The aim could be reached through, i) the production of new strains allowing further comparison of strains with contrasted levels of melanization and ii) study the impact of melanization on responses to abiotic and biotic stress. The genome of the model endophyte Me07 strain has been sequenced and the genome annotation is currently being analysed. Several albino strains were obtained by non-targeted agrotransformation and screening a library of KO mutants. Our preliminary results show that Rhexocercosporidium sp. strain Me07 is a potential food source of Protostelium aurantium, a fungivorous amoebae that feeds on conidia and hyphae of ascomycetous fungi. We successfully acclimatized the strain Me07 to salt, drought and heat stresses. The project results will facilitate the establishment of keystones for the development of highly melanized DSEs novel inocula to help plant crops in overcoming challenges caused by climate change, including drought, heat, salt, heavy metal contamination, and nutrient insufficiency.