Burgundy truffles are heterothallic ascomycetes that grow in symbiosis with trees. Despite their esteemed belowground fruitbodies, the species' complex lifecycle is still not fully understood. Here, we present the genetic patterns in three natural Burgundy truffle populations based on genotyped fruitbodies, ascospore extracts and ectomycorrhizal root tips using microsatellites and the mating-type locus. Distinct genetic structures with high relatedness in close vicinity were found for females (forming the fruitbodies) and males (fertilizing partner as inferred from ascospore extracts), with high genotypic diversity and annual turnover of males, suggesting that ephemeral male mating partners are germinating ascospores from decaying fruitbodies. The presence of hermaphrodites and the interannual persistence of a few males suggest that persistent mycelia may sporadically also act as males. Only female or hermaphroditic individuals were detected on root tips. At one site, fruitbodies grew in a fairy ring formed by a large female individual that showed an outward growth rate of 30 cm per year, with the mycelium decaying within the ring and being fertilized by over 50 male individuals. While fairy ring structures have never been shown for truffles, the genetics of Burgundy truffle populations support a similar reproductive biology as those of other highly prized truffles.

中文翻译：

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隐藏的仙女环和雄性——天然勃艮第松露 (Tuber aestivum Vittad.) 种群的遗传模式揭示了对其生命周期的新见解

勃艮第松露是与树木共生生长的异联子囊菌。尽管它们的地下子实体备受推崇，但该物种复杂的生命周期仍未完全了解。在这里，我们基于基因分型的子实体、子囊孢子提取物和使用微卫星和交配型基因座的外生菌根根尖，展示了三个天然勃艮第松露种群的遗传模式。在雌性（形成子实体）和雄性（从子囊孢子提取物推断的受精伙伴）中发现了具有高度相关性的独特遗传结构，具有高基因型多样性和雄性的年更替率，表明短暂的雄性交配伙伴正在从中萌发子囊孢子腐烂的子实体。雌雄同体的存在和少数雄性的年际持久性表明，持久性菌丝体可能偶尔也充当雄性。在根尖上仅检测到雌性或雌雄同体个体。在一个地点，子实体生长在一个由大型雌性个体形成的仙女环中，该环以每年 30 厘米的速度向外生长，菌丝体在环内腐烂，并由 50 多个雄性个体受精。虽然从未显示过松露的仙女环结构，但勃艮第松露种群的遗传学支持与其他高度珍贵的松露相似的生殖生物学。子实体生长在一个由大型雌性个体形成的仙女环中，该环呈每年 30 厘米的向外生长速度，菌丝体在环内腐烂并被 50 多个雄性个体受精。虽然从未显示过松露的仙女环结构，但勃艮第松露种群的遗传学支持与其他高度珍贵的松露相似的生殖生物学。子实体生长在一个由大型雌性个体形成的仙女环中，该环呈每年 30 厘米的向外生长速度，菌丝体在环内腐烂并被 50 多个雄性个体受精。虽然从未显示过松露的仙女环结构，但勃艮第松露种群的遗传学支持与其他高度珍贵的松露相似的生殖生物学。