Analysis of gene expression in leaves of Medicago truncatula plants inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plants fertilized with phosphate. Medicago truncatula

Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) are the most common symbiotic associations between plant’s root compartment and fungi. They can provide both nutritional benefit (mostly inorganic phosphate) leading to improved growth and non-nutritional benefits including defense responses to environmental cues throughout the host plant, which in return delivers carbohydrates to the symbiont. However how transcriptional changes occurring in AM leaves differ from those induced by phosphate fertilization is poorly understood. We investigated systemic changes in the leaves of mycorrhized Medicago truncatula compared to non-mycorrhized control plants, and in phosphate fertilized plants compared to control plants. Overall design: Leaves were harvested 4 weeks post inoculation from control, mycorrhized and phophate fertilized plants. Three biological replicates and 1-2 technical replicates were analyzed.