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An ancient soil fungus partners with a “locked-out” plant family
The full story behind my Short: what was found, and what it could mean for cabbage, kale and oilseed rape.
The short version
Plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae), which includes oilseed rape, cabbage and kale, were long thought unable to form partnerships with soil fungi [1]. A University of Sheffield team led by Professor Katie Field, publishing in Current Biology, showed for the first time that Arabidopsis thaliana, the small mustard plant used as the main genetic model in plant biology, can form a fully functional, resource-sharing partnership with an ancient soil fungus called a Mucoromycotina fine root endophyte (MFRE) [1].
620 millionyears since the MFRE fungal lineage diverged [1]
260%+more plant-fixed carbon received by the fungus [1]
N + Pnitrogen and phosphorus moved from soil into plant shoots [1]
What they found
Millions of years ago, mustard-family plants lost genes for key parts of the Common Symbiosis Signalling Pathway, the genetic “lock and key” most land plants use to pair with beneficial soil fungi [1]. MFREs belong to a different fungal lineage that diverged 620 million years ago, and they appear to bypass that route [1].
Using cell imaging and multi-isotope tracing, the team found a wild fine root endophyte strain (isolate Lyc-1) extensively colonised Arabidopsis roots without affecting growth or causing disease. The fungus took up nitrogen and phosphorus from the soil and passed them into the plant shoots, while receiving over 260 per cent more plant-fixed carbon in return [1].
Watch the Short
About this page
The Short uses real, illustrative photos from Wikimedia Commons (credited below); they are not photos of the study itself. The research used Arabidopsis in the lab; it has not yet been shown in oilseed rape, cabbage or kale in the field. Note: 620 million years refers to when the fungal lineage diverged, as stated by the University of Sheffield.
Why it matters
- Overturns an old rule. The mustard family was thought to be closed off from this kind of fungal partnership [1].
- A model to study. Professor Jurriaan Ton says the Arabidopsis–MFRE pairing is an ideal model system for finding how plants set up this alternative symbiosis [1].
- Possible farm benefit. Taking it from lab to field could offer a nature-based way to improve crop nutrition and resilience while reducing reliance on expensive chemical fertilisers [1].
Full narration (transcript)
Cabbage, kale and rapeseed were thought to be locked out of a hidden underground network. Most land plants team up with beneficial soil fungi. But the mustard family lost key genes for that partnership millions of years ago. So scientists concluded the network was closed to them for good. Now a University of Sheffield team, publishing in Current Biology, has found a way in. They studied Arabidopsis, the small mustard plant biologists use as a model. It formed a working partnership with an ancient soil fungus called a fine root endophyte. This fungus comes from a lineage that split off 620 million years ago, so it skips the usual genetic lock and key. It colonised the roots without harming growth or causing disease. The fungus moved nitrogen and phosphorus from the soil into the plant's shoots. In return, it received over 260 percent more carbon made by the plant. So far this is in a lab model plant, not yet in crops in the field. It could one day help crops rely less on chemical fertilisers.
Sources
- [1] University of Sheffield, School of Biosciences (15 Oct 2026). “Ancient fungus unlocks secret support system in major food crops that could transform farming practices.” sheffield.ac.uk (research published in Current Biology).
Credits
Photos (illustrative, Wikimedia Commons): Kale field - geograph.org.uk - 4854255 (Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0); Arbuscular mycorrhiza microscope (Msturmel, Public domain); Rapeseed field in Tongham (Uhooep, CC BY-SA 4.0); Soil profile 0-125cm (Mclund, CC BY 4.0); Firth Court 070416 (Paolo Margari, CC BY-SA 2.0); Arabidopsis thal background (Reo On, CC BY-SA 3.0); Fungal hyphae and mycelium (Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya, CC BY-SA 4.0); Endogone pisiformis 56016 (Tom Volk, CC BY-SA 3.0); Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizae 40X0031 03 (Rajarshi Rit, CC BY 4.0); Arabidopsis thaliana sl13 (Stefan.lefnaer, CC BY-SA 4.0); Raindrops on curly kale (8148802845) (Ruth Hartnup from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0); ISS-56 Arabidopsis plants inside the Advanced Plant Habitat (NASA, Public domain); Tractor spreading fertilizer(^) near Down Barn - geograph.or (Vieve Forward, CC BY-SA 2.0).