Microbio Lecture 19 - PART 1

Mutualism

A type of symbiosis where both partners benefit from the relationship.

Mycorrhizal fungi

Fungi that form symbiotic relationships with the roots of plants, providing nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

Mutualism

A type of symbiosis where both partners benefit from the relationship.

Mycorrhizal fungi

Fungi that form symbiotic relationships with the roots of plants, providing nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

Rhizobia

Bacteria that fix nitrogen in symbiotic partnerships with legumes.

Leghemoglobin

A protein produced by plants that transport and regulate oxygen levels in the root nodules without harming the nitrogenase enzyme.

Nod factors

Chemicals produced by rhizobia that signal and modulate the behavior of the plant to facilitate symbiosis.

Flavonoids

Plant compounds that attract rhizobia and play a role in establishing symbiotic relationships.

Rhizosphere

The area around a plant root where interactions with microbiota occur, influencing plant health and nutrient uptake.

Symbiosome

A membrane-bound structure within root nodules formed from the fusion of plant and bacterial membranes during symbiosis.

Infection thread

A tubular structure formed by the plant during the infection process, facilitating the entry of rhizobia into root cells.

Nitrogenase

An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, crucial for nitrogen fixation.

Syntrophy

A type of mutualistic relationship where two different organisms depend on each other for nutrients or metabolic processes.

Microbiome

A community of microorganisms living in a specific environment, such as the human gut, that play crucial roles in health.

Bacteroid

A form of rhizobia in root nodules; it's a specialized cell that helps in nitrogen fixation.

Obligate symbiosis

A type of symbiosis where one partner cannot live without the other.

Chemical language

The specific signaling mechanisms through which plants and microbes communicate to establish and regulate symbiotic relationships.