Cell type-specific regulation of nutrient absorption, metabolism and transfer in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) establish symbiotic relationships with most land plants, mainly for the purpose of nutrient exchange. Many studies have revealed the regulation of absorption, metabolism, and transfer of nutrients in AMF and the genes involved in these processes. However, the developmental regulation of the genes associated with cell differentiation are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate the cell type-specific transcriptome of the model AMF species, Rhizophagus irregularis. We performed an ultra-low input RNA-seq analysis, SMART-seq2, comparing five cell types in extraradical structures. In addition, we reanalyzed the recently reported RNA-seq data comparing intraradical hyphae and arbuscules. Our analyses captured the distinct features of each cell type and revealed the cell type-specific expression patterns of genes related to absorption, metabolism, and transfer of nutrients. These findings provide a comprehensive dataset to further our understanding of the transcriptional dynamics of fungal nutrition in this symbiotic system.