VU ecologist Vasilis Kokkoris has been awarded an NWO Vidi grant to investigate how unique soil fungi organize their massive cells. In the long term, this knowledge could contribute to more sustainable agriculture, soil restoration, and nature conservation.
Beneath our feet live fungi that play a crucial role in plant growth and the health of ecosystems. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi form partnerships with approximately 70 percent of all plant species. They assist plants in absorbing nutrients from the soil, receiving in return carbon that the plants produce through photosynthesis.
Yet, researchers still know very little about how these fungi function. Unlike most cells, which contain a single nucleus, these fungi can develop into enormous cells containing thousands of nuclei. Their network of fungal filaments can span several meters.
Thousands of nuclei, one organized entity
Through his research project "Nuclear Swarms," Vasilis Kokkoris- systems ecologist at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - aims to discover how these thousands of nuclei coordinate their behavior. Why are so many required? How are new nuclei formed, and how do they distribute themselves throughout the fungus? Furthermore, how does their collective behavior influence the growth and survival of the organism?
Kokkoris’ research combines advanced microscopy, robotics, microfluidics, automated image analysis, and mathematical modeling. Using these tools, he and his colleagues intend to precisely map the movements and organization of nuclei within living fungi.
A key objective is also to develop techniques that would allow for the genetic modification of these fungi. That has proven exceptionally difficult so far. Success would open up new possibilities for targeted research into how these organisms function.
From biological knowledge to healthy soils
“My research focuses on a fundamental question in biology: how can a single, massive cell containing thousands of nuclei function as a unified whole? The answers could provide new insights into the organization and cooperation of living systems,” says Kokkoris.
This knowledge could also be of societal importance. Mycorrhizal fungi support plant growth and play a role in the cycling of nutrients within the soil. A better understanding of how they grow and recover could, in the long term, help in the development of applications for more sustainable agriculture, soil restoration, and nature conservation.
Practical applications remain a prospect for the future. First, it must be determined how these fungi regulate their internal processes. With his Vidi grant, Kokkoris aims to lay the scientific foundation for this and provide greater insight into the hidden world that contributes to healthy plants and ecosystems.