Building a mycorrhizal cell: How to reach compatibility between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi occur throughout the majority of ecosystems supporting host plant nutrition. Recent findings describe the accommodation of the fungus by the root cell as a crucial step for compatibility between the partners. We discuss here the novel aspects of cellular plant-fungus interactions, with a particular attention to the interface compartment, the unique apoplastic space hosting intracellular fungal structures. The main features of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization are examined and recent information in the field of plant and fungal cell responses during the establishment of the symbiosis is discussed. Differences between the colonization of root epidermal and cortical tissues are discussed, highlighting the growing interest in the role of epidermal cells during the first and decisive steps of the symbiosis. New approaches such as root organ cultures, in vivo observations, GFP tagging and mutant plant analysis are commented on and information from these is compared with that gained from more traditional methods. In particular, the use of plant mutants is depicted as a powerful tool for dissecting and understanding the genetic and cellular aspects of plant/fungus compatibility. Finally, perspectives in this field are outlined through the application of these approaches to the currently unanswered questions.