All symbiosis articles
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NewsUpwelling promotes N-fixing symbiont of Sargassum algae - giving it an edge
An international research team has uncovered the main mechanism behind the algae blooms of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. Identification of the climatic conditions that facilitate this phenomenon allows them to predict future stranding events of Sargassum.
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NewsTwo amino acids help plants decide whether to welcome or repel nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Researchers are one step closer to understanding how some plants survive without nitrogen - a breakthrough that could eventually reduce the need for artificial fertilizer in crops such as wheat, maize, or rice.
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NewsHow algae help corals bounce back after bleaching
A $1.1 million project will uncover how reefs regain life-giving algae after suffering from heat stress. The three-year project will use advanced imaging and living experimental systems to learn what’s happening on a cellular level when algae return to bleached reefs.
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NewsFungi paved the way for life on land hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously thought
After reviewing the evolutionary timeline of fungi, scientists have determined that their origin dates back to between 900 million and 1.4 billion years ago. This means that fungi had already been living on Earth hundreds of millions of years before plants took root on our planet.
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NewsDual feeding strategy helps Mediterranean coral thrive in rising sea temperatures
An exceptional “dual feeding” strategy underlies a Mediterranean coral’s resilience to rising sea temperatures, according to a study. The stony coral Oculina patagonica is known to feed itself with or without algae.
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NewsSynthetic biology reprograms plant–microbe partnerships for resilient agriculture
By integrating engineering principles with plant biology, a new review highlights how redesigned genetic pathways and plant-based biosensors can deepen understanding of plant responses to both harmful and beneficial microbes.
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NewsWetland plant-fungus combo cleans up ‘forever chemicals’ in a pilot study
From a greenhouse study, researchers report that moisture-loving yellow flag irises and fungi on their roots are a promising combination for PFAS removal. As part of a constructed wetland, this pair could effectively treat contaminated wastewater.
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NewsDeadwood-decomposing fungi feed germinating orchids
Deadwood-decomposing fungi feed germinating orchids, providing the carbon their tiny seeds don’t have. The finding not only closes a gap in our understanding of wild orchid ecology but also uncovers an important carbon flux in the ecosystem.
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NewsSome plants can make their own fertilizer - scientists say they learned it more than once
In a new study, scientists show that chemical receptors that plants use to recognize nitrogen-fixing bacteria have developed the same function independently on at least three separate occasions through a process called convergent evolution.
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NewsNutrient storage and release in uninfected cells of soybean nodules support symbiotic nitrogen fixation in infected cells
A new study employed the symplastic movement tracer carboxyfluorescein diacetate (CFDA) to observe and model the transport and storage status of nutrients within nodules.
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NewsRevealed: How fungus-farming termites protect gardens from invaders
When harmful fungi invade their carefully cultivated crops, some fungus-farming termites fight back with the precision of skilled gardeners, a new study reveals, smothering them in soil clumps enriched with microbial allies that inhibit fungal growth.
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NewsWorld’s first discovery of a mysterious tubular structure in citrus pest symbionts
A multinational research team has discovered a mysterious tubular structure — previously unknown in any organism — within Profftella, a symbiotic bacterium associated with a major global citrus pest.
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NewsFungi–biochar partnership boosts soil health and crop growth under cadmium stress
A study reports that combining arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) with biochar can reshape soil microbiomes, reduce cadmium uptake, and dramatically improve plant growth, offering a sustainable strategy for restoring farmland contaminated with heavy metals.
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NewsTiny ocean partnership between algae and bacteria reveals secrets of evolution
The microscopic alliance between algae and bacteria offers rare, step-by-step snapshots of how bacteria lose genes and adapt to increasing host dependence, a new study shows.
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NewsFern leaf pockets hide secrets of plant-microbe symbiosis
Comparison of symbiotic bacteria to free-living relatives shows the genomic effects of host adaptation.
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NewsAnti-neuroinflammatory natural products from isopod-related fungus now accessible via chemical synthesis
Herpotrichone is valued for its ability to suppress inflammation in the brain and protect nerve cells, but could only be obtained in minute quantities from fungi that are symbiotic with isopods. Researchers have succeeded in chemically synthesizing this rare natural product.
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NewsAssisted by sniffer dogs and DNA sequencing, researchers discover three new truffle species
Biologists studying fungal evolution and ecology have discovered three new truffle species, including one capable of commanding hundreds of dollars per pound within culinary circles.
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NewsStudy reveals how climate shapes fungal spore traits with applications for soil health
A new study reports on how global climate conditions affect arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spore traits and the species biogeographic patterns. The study is the first to examine multiple traits of this kind on a global scale.
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NewsHow fungus powers plant life in extreme environments
A new experiment suggests dark septate endophytes (DSEs) may be capable of linking the roots of neighboring plants to facilitate water sharing and boost their host’s biomass, and may even be keeping plant networks alive in drought-prone areas.
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NewsNitrogen may limit natural climate solutions
A global inventory reveals nitrogen is in shorter supply than previously thought in natural areas, which could limit carbon storage in plants and soils.