A synthetic platform for multiplex screening of cell-cell communication between soil fungi

Fungi are essential members of natural ecosystems and industrial biotechnology, yet they also pose significant risks to crops and human health. To thrive in microbial consortia a fungal organism must integrate the perception of both inter- and intra-species signals from the environment. Here we present a Yeast Mating Platform (YeMaP) to decipher cell-cell communication between fungal G protein-coupled receptors and short pheromone peptides. We use YeMaP to investigate the influence of abiotic factors on cell-cell communication in multiplex and for high-throughput screening of natural and synthetic pheromones to identify peptides with either improved potency or antagonism action. Additionally, we demonstrate that the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum possesses a robust cell-cell communication mechanism, which can, however, be disrupted by supplementing pheromones to promote the communication of non-pathogenic organisms. Taken together, we envision that YeMaP could be applied to uncover the complexity of fungal communication and lead the application of future crop pest- and disease-management programs.