Nutrient transfer to plants by phylogenetically diverse fungi suggests convergent evolutionary strategies in rhizospheric symbionts

Most land plants are able to form symbiotic associations with fungi, and in many cases these associations are necessary for plant and fungal survival. These plant/fungal associations are formed with mycorrhizal (arbuscular mycorrhizal or ectomycorrhizal) or endophytic fungi, fungi from distinct phylogenetic lineages. While it has been shown that mycorrhizal fungi are able to transfer nutrients to plant roots in exchange for carbon, endophytes have been thought as asymptomatic colonizers. Recently, however, it has been shown that some insect pathogenic endophytic fungi are able to transfer insect derived nitrogen to plant roots, likely in exchange for plant sugars. Here we explore potential convergent evolutionary strategies for nutrient transfer between insect pathogenic endophytes and mycorrhizal fungus.