Editing Endosymbiont (section)

===== Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) =====
[[Arbuscular mycorrhiza|Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi]] or AMF are the most diverse plant microbial endosymbionts. With exceptions such as the [[Ericaceae]] family, almost all vascular plants harbor [[Arbuscular mycorrhiza|AMF]] endosymbionts as endo and ecto as well. AMF plant endosymbionts systematically colonize [[Root|plant roots]] and help the plant host acquire soil [[nutrient]]s such as nitrogen. In return it absorbs plant organic carbon products.<ref name="Salhi-2022" /> [[Plant root exudates]] contain diverse secondary metabolites, especially [[flavonoids]] and [[strigolactones]] that act as [[plant communication|chemical signals]] and attracts the AMF.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Oldroyd GE, Harrison MJ, Paszkowski U |title=Reprogramming plant cells for endosymbiosis |journal=Science |volume=324 |issue=5928 |pages=753–754 |date=May 2009 |pmid=19423817 |doi=10.1126/science.1171644 |bibcode=2009Sci...324..753O |s2cid=206518892 }}</ref> AMF ''[[Gigasporaceae|Gigaspora]] margarita'' lives as a plant endosymbiont and also harbors further endosymbiont intracytoplasmic bacterium-like organisms.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Bianciotto V, Bandi C, Minerdi D, Sironi M, Tichy HV, Bonfante P |title=An obligately endosymbiotic mycorrhizal fungus itself harbors obligately intracellular bacteria |journal=Applied and Environmental Microbiology |volume=62 |issue=8 |pages=3005–3010 |date=August 1996 |pmid=8702293 |pmc=168087 |doi=10.1128/aem.62.8.3005-3010.1996 |bibcode=1996ApEnM..62.3005B }}</ref> AMF generally promote plant health and growth and alleviate [[abiotic stress]]es such as salinity, drought, heat, poor nutrition, and [[metal toxicity]].<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Begum N, Qin C, Ahanger MA, Raza S, Khan MI, Ashraf M, Ahmed N, Zhang L |display-authors=6 |title=Role of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Plant Growth Regulation: Implications in Abiotic Stress Tolerance |journal=Frontiers in Plant Science |volume=10 |pages=1068 |date=2019 |pmid=31608075 |pmc=6761482 |doi=10.3389/fpls.2019.01068 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Individual AMF species have different effects in different hosts – introducing the AMF of one plant to another plant can reduce the latter's growth.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Herre EA, Mejía LC, Kyllo DA, Rojas E, Maynard Z, Butler A, Van Bael SA |date=March 2007 |title=Ecological implications of anti-pathogen effects of tropical fungal endophytes and mycorrhizae |journal=Ecology |volume=88 |issue=3 |pages=550–558 |bibcode=2007Ecol...88..550H |doi=10.1890/05-1606 |pmid=17503581}}</ref>