Live-Cell Visualization of Early Stages of Root Colonization by the Vascular Wilt Pathogen Fusarium oxysporum

Fungal phytopathogens induce a variety of pathogenicity symptoms on their hosts. The soilborne vascular wilt pathogen Fusarium oxysporum infects roots of more than 150 different crop species. Initial colonization stages are asymptomatic, likely representing a biotrophic phase of infection, followed by a necrotrophic switch after vascular colonization which results in blockage of the plant xylem and killing of the host. Live-cell microscopy techniques have been successfully employed to study interaction events during fungal colonization of root tissues. This technique is widely used to track fungal development during disease progression. Here, we describe a well-established protocol for generation and screening of fluorescently tagged F. oxysporum transformants, as well as for live-cell imaging of the early colonization stages of F. oxysporum on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings. The presented experimental design and techniques involved are also applicable to other root infecting fungi.