DOI: 10.5061/dryad.pg4f4qrxm
title: Formations of mycorrhizal symbiosis alter the phenolic heteropolymers in roots and leaves of four temperate woody species

description: The decomposition rates of senesced tissues from plants associated with
 ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungi tend to differ from that associated with
 arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. However, the chemical underpinnings
 that could drive the observed differences in decomposition are less
 explored. Here, we characterized the content, composition, and spatial
 organization of phenolic heteropolymers in roots and leaves of four
 temperate tree species across eight plant-fungus combinations, forming
 either AM or EcM associations. Colonization by either AM or EcM fungi
 tended to decrease the abundance of lignin, condensed tannins, and ratios
 of lignin and nitrogen in roots and/or leaves, which would lead to lower
 chemical recalcitrance of tissues. The decrease in root lignin abundance
 by either mycorrhizal type was associated with an expanded cortex,
 potentially facilitating symbiosis. Additionally, changes in lignin
 molecular composition by mycorrhizal symbiosis differed between plant
 phylogenetic lineages irrespective of mycorrhizal type. Our results
 suggest that the mycorrhiza-associated changes in plant chemical traits
 that regulate litter decomposition may not be unique to AM or EcM
 associations; rather, both associations can reduce root and leaf chemical
 recalcitrance. Further, the differential modification in lignin
 composition by mycorrhizal symbiosis between plant phylogenetic groups
 highlights the influence of plant evolutionary history in
 plant-mycorrhizal interactions.
description: We characterized the chemistry of roots and leaves in
 non-colonized and mycorrhizal fungi-colonized seedlings in various
 combinations of plant hosts and mycorrhizal fungal species, forming either
 arbuscular or ectomycorrhizal associations. Specifically, the acid butanol
 assay was used to quantify the content of condensed tannins (CT) using
 cyanidin standards. Thioacidolysis was used to analyze the abundance and
 molecular composition of lignin. Lignin content (% w/w) was determined
 based on a standard curve of inputs of purified <em>L.
 tulipifera</em> lignin standard vs. their total yields of lignin
 monomers. For this analysis, individual seedlings were combined within
 each of the three trays due to limited sample amount, except for
 plant-fungus combinations present in only one tray, where individual
 seedlings were analyzed. The anatomy of root sections was analyzed using a
 Leica SPE inverted confocal microscope.
description: # Formations of mycorrhizal symbiosis alter the phenolic heteropolymers in
 roots and leaves of four temperate woody species
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.pg4f4qrxm](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.pg4f4qrxm) ## Description of the data and file structure We characterized the chemistry of roots and leaves in non-colonized and mycorrhizal fungi-colonized seedlings in various combinations of plant hosts and mycorrhizal fungal species, forming either arbuscular mycorrhizal or ectomycorrhizal associations. Specifically, the acid butanol assay was used to quantify the content of condensed tannins using cyanidin standards. Thioacidolysis was used to analyze the abundance and molecular composition of lignin. For this analysis, individual seedlings were combined within each of the three trays due to limited sample amount, except for plant-fungus combinations present in only one tray, where individual seedlings were analyzed. In this dataset, mycorrhizal colonization rate (%), the contents (%) of carbon, nitrogen, condensed tannins, the yield (mg/g) of lignin subunits such as guaiacyl (G), syringyl (S) and p-hydroxyphenyl (H) monomers, and the total lignin contents (%) were listed for roots and leaves in non-colonized and mycorrhizal fungi-colonized seedings for plant host species *Juniperus virginiana* (*see* Sheet “JUVI_Chemistry”), *Liriodendron tulipifera* (*see* Sheet “LITU_Chemistry”), *Pinus taeda* (*see* Sheet “PITA_Chemistry”), and *Quercus macrocarpa* (*see* Sheet “QUMA_Chemistry”). This dataset also includes anatomical traits of root sections such as the relative area of autofluorescence in the exodermis or endodermis as a proportion of the total root area (*i.e.,* Autofluorescent area of exodermis or endodermis (%total area)), and the relative cortex width as a proportion of the root radius (*i.e.,* Relative cortex width (% root radius)) in non-colonized and mycorrhizal fungi-colonized roots for plant host species *Juniperus virginiana* (*see* Sheet “JUVI_Anatomy”) and *Quercus macrocarpa* (*see* Sheet “QUMA_Anatomy”).