Question

Describe an experiment that would demonstrate the transfer of carbon from algal symbiont to fungal symbiont.

Answer 1

Algal fungal symbiosis results in photosynthetic mycelium. Algae is photosynthetic and it gives carbon to the fungi upon mutualistic relationship. We can trace the carbon transfer using isotopic tracer experiments

Initially we have to grow algae in isotopic carbon medium and than we have to cultivate both algae and fungi in normal carbon containing medium ( co cultivation) . Due to mutualistic relationship isotopic carbon fixed in algae will be transferred to fungi and we can isolate and trace the carbon isotopes in fungi to confirm they transfer carbon as mutualistic characteristic