A fungal sesquiterpene biosynthesis gene cluster critical for mutualist-pathogen transition in Colletotrichum tofieldiae.

Plant-associated fungi show diverse lifestyles from pathogenic to mutualistic to the host; however, the principles and mechanisms through which they shift the lifestyles require elucidation. The root fungus Colletotrichum tofieldiae (Ct) promotes Arabidopsis thaliana growth under phosphate limiting conditions. Here we describe a Ct strain, designated Ct3, that severely inhibits plant growth.