Date of Award

2016

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Thesis

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Philip Villani

Abstract

Endophytes are bacteria or fungi that ubiquitously reside in plant tissue and do not cause apparent disease. With the mutually symbiotic relationships between plant and endophyte being scientifically evident, it is supported that endophytes provide an augmentative method to absorb nutrients and additional tolerance under abiotic stress for the plant while benefiting from the host plant’s reduced carbon sources. The moss Physcomitrella patens is expected to share the same type of mutualism with endophytes, being able to treat endophytes as endosymbionts and having a reduced carbon reservoir. However, it is unclear if these endophytic relationships alter under abiotic stress. In this study, the carbon dioxide levels in Physcomitrella patens and fungal endophyte will be monitored under the abiotic stress simulations of darkness, drought and nutrient deprivation for any trends and conclusions regarding cellular respiration and endophyte presence. Endophytic presence was inconclusive under the simulation of abiotic stress. Further studies with endophytes are required to make more definitive statements about endophytic symbioses in plants.

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