Mutualist-pathogen co-colonization modulates phosphoinositide signatures at host intracellular interfaces

Abstract

The host membrane that surrounds intracellular microbes forms a critical interface, influencing whether interactions result in mutualism or pathogenesis. While phosphoinositide identities differ between pathogen and mutualist interface membranes, it is unclear whether these are modulated during co-colonization. To address this, we generated Nicotiana benthamiana plants expressing biosensors for phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) and imaged root colonization by the pathogenic oomycete Phytophthora palmivora and the mutualistic fungus Funneliformis mosseae. Binary host-microbe interactions revealed distinct patterns: PI(4,5)P2 was tip enriched at mutualist structures but evenly distributed around pathogen structures, while PI4P was largely absent from pathogen-associated membranes but was present at mutualist interfaces. Strikingly, co-colonization altered host membrane identity, triggering PI4P recruitment at pathogen haustoria and enhanced resistance to P. palmivora. These findings reveal that phosphoinositide signatures distinguish pathogenic and mutualistic interfaces and are dynamically remodeled during co-colonization, likely influencing interaction outcomes.