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Updated: Sep 1, 2025

Establishing Fungal Entomopathogens as Endophytes: Towards Endophytic Biological Control

Establishing Fungal Entomopathogens as Endophytes: Towards Endophytic Biological Control

Published on: April 11, 2013

Leaf photosynthesis: do endophytes have a say?

T S Suryanarayanan¹, M S Ayesha², R Uma Shaanker³

¹Vivekananda Institute of Tropical Mycology (VINSTROM), RKM Vidyapith, Chennai 600 006, India.

Trends in Plant Science

|August 12, 2022

Summary

Leaf endophytes, bacterial and fungal microbes living within plant leaves, can boost photosynthesis. Their respiratory metabolism enriches internal carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, particularly benefiting C3 plants.

Keywords:

C3 plants RuBisCO fungal endophyte photorespiration

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Isolation, Characterization, and Total DNA Extraction to Identify Endophytic Fungi in Mycoheterotrophic Plants

Published on: May 5, 2023

Area of Science:

Plant biology
Microbial ecology
Biochemistry

Background:

Endophytes are microorganisms residing within plant tissues.
Leaves host diverse bacterial and fungal endophytes in intercellular spaces.
Photosynthesis is a key process for plant carbon fixation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the potential role of endophyte respiratory metabolism in plant photosynthesis.
To explore how endophytes might enhance CO2 concentrations within leaf intercellular spaces.
To determine the specific relevance for C3 plants.

Main Methods:

The study is primarily theoretical, based on existing knowledge of endophyte metabolism and plant physiology.
It involves analyzing the biochemical pathways of microbial respiration in relation to gas exchange within leaves.
Comparative analysis of C3 and potentially C4 plant responses is implied.

Main Results:

Endophyte respiration releases CO2 into the intercellular spaces of leaves.
This microbial CO2 production can increase the concentration of CO2 available for plant photosynthesis.
The effect is hypothesized to be most significant in C3 plants due to their photosynthetic pathway.

Conclusions:

Bacterial and fungal endophytes play a crucial role in the leaf ecosystem.
Endophyte respiration represents a significant, previously underappreciated factor that can enhance leaf photosynthesis.
This mechanism offers a novel perspective on plant-microbe interactions and carbon assimilation, especially in C3 plants.