New tools to study an old mycorrhiza

I love learning about the many molecular adaptations that allowed plants to adapt to life on land, and particularly have enjoyed sharing the iconic micrograph from Remy et al (1994) that shows a 400 year old arbuscular mycorrhiza of the fungus Glomeromycotina  inside a cell of Aglaophyton major. Now, in a new study, Strullu-Derrien et al. examined a similar fossil of an arbuscule from a different fungus, Rugososporomyces lavoisierae, but of the same age and plant species. In this new study, the authors were able to use advanced microscopy techniques to gain deeper insights into this ancient and important symbiosis. Confocal laser scanning microscopy allowed the authors to reconstruct 3D images with sharp focus, revealing new insights into the fungal structures and arrangements in the plant tissues. The authors also examined the fossil using FLIM – fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy.  This technique reveals information about the chemical composition of the sample. With FLIM, the authors were able to unambiguously differentiate fungal tissues from plant tissues, providing beautiful images of some of the earliest terrestrial life forms. (Summary by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching.bsky.social) PNAS 10.1111/nph.70655