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Michl K, David C, Dumont B, Mårtensson LMD, Rasche F, Berg G, Cernava T. Determining the footprint of breeding in the seed microbiome of a perennial cereal. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2024; 19:40. [PMID: 38886863 PMCID: PMC11184768 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-024-00584-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seed endophytes have a significant impact on plant health and fitness. They can be inherited and passed on to the next plant generation. However, the impact of breeding on their composition in seeds is less understood. Here, we studied the indigenous seed microbiome of a recently domesticated perennial grain crop (Intermediate wheatgrass, Thinopyrum intermedium L.) that promises great potential for harnessing microorganisms to enhance crop performance by a multiphasic approach, including amplicon and strain libraries, as well as molecular and physiological assays. RESULTS Intermediate wheatgrass seeds harvested from four field sites in Europe over three consecutive years were dominated by Proteobacteria (88%), followed by Firmicutes (10%). Pantoea was the most abundant genus and Pantoea agglomerans was identified as the only core taxon present in all samples. While bacterial diversity and species richness were similar across all accessions, the relative abundance varied especially in terms of low abundant and rare taxa. Seeds from four different breeding cycles (TLI C3, C5, C704, C801) showed significant differences in bacterial community composition and abundance. We found a decrease in the relative abundance of the functional genes nirK and nifH as well as a drop in bacterial diversity and richness. This was associated with a loss of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Bacilli, which could be partially compensated in offspring seeds, which have been cultivated at a new site. Interestingly, only a subset assigned to potentially beneficial bacteria, e.g. Pantoea, Kosakonia, and Pseudomonas, was transmitted to the next plant generation or shared with offspring seeds. CONCLUSION Overall, this study advances our understanding of the assembly and transmission of endophytic seed microorganisms in perennial intermediate wheatgrass and highlights the importance of considering the plant microbiome in future breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Michl
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, 8010, Austria
| | - Christophe David
- Department of Agroecosystems, Environment and Production, ISARA, 23 rue Jean Baldassini, Lyon Cedex 07, 69364, France
| | - Benjamin Dumont
- Plant Sciences Axis, Crop Science lab, ULiege - Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Gembloux, B- 5030, Belgium
| | | | - Frank Rasche
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute), University of Hohenheim, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany
- International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Gabriele Berg
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, 8010, Austria
- Leibnitz-Institute for Agricultural Engineering, 14469, Potsdam, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tomislav Cernava
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, 8010, Austria.
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO171BJ, UK.
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Xun W, Liu Y, Ma A, Yan H, Miao Y, Shao J, Zhang N, Xu Z, Shen Q, Zhang R. Dissection of rhizosphere microbiome and exploiting strategies for sustainable agriculture. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:2401-2410. [PMID: 38494698 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The rhizosphere microbiome plays critical roles in plant growth and provides promising solutions for sustainable agriculture. While the rhizosphere microbiome frequently fluctuates with the soil environment, recent studies have demonstrated that a small proportion of the microbiome is consistently assembled in the rhizosphere of a specific plant genotype regardless of the soil condition, which is determined by host genetics. Based on these breakthroughs, which involved exploiting the plant-beneficial function of the rhizosphere microbiome, we propose to divide the rhizosphere microbiome into environment-dominated and plant genetic-dominated components based on their different assembly mechanisms. Subsequently, two strategies to explore the different rhizosphere microbiome components for agricultural production are suggested, that is, the precise management of the environment-dominated rhizosphere microbiome by agronomic practices, and the elucidation of the plant genetic basis of the plant genetic-dominated rhizosphere microbiome for breeding microbiome-assisted crop varieties. We finally present the major challenges that need to be overcome to implement strategies for modulating these two components of the rhizosphere microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weibing Xun
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Aiyuan Ma
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - He Yan
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Youzhi Miao
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jiahui Shao
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhihui Xu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Qirong Shen
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arid and Semi-arid Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
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3
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Kifushi M, Nishikawa Y, Hosokawa M, Ide K, Kogawa M, Anai T, Takeyama H. Analysis of microbial dynamics in the soybean root-associated environments from community to single-cell levels. J Biosci Bioeng 2024; 137:429-436. [PMID: 38570219 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Plant root-associated environments such as the rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and endosphere, are notably different from non-root-associated soil environments. However, the microbial dynamics in these spatially divided compartments remain unexplored. In this study, we propose a combinational analysis of single-cell genomics with 16S rRNA gene sequencing. This method enabled us to understand the entire soil microbiome and individual root-associated microorganisms. We applied this method to soybean microbiomes and revealed that their composition was different between the rhizoplane and rhizosphere in the early growth stages, but became more similar as growth progressed. In addition, a total of 610 medium- to high-quality single-amplified genomes (SAGs) were acquired, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) candidates while genomes with high GC content tended to be missed by SAGs. The whole-genome analyses of the SAGs suggested that rhizoplane-enriched Flavobacterium solubilizes organophosphate actively and Bacillus colonizes roots more efficiently. Single-cell genomics, together with 16S rRNA gene sequencing, enabled us to connect microbial taxonomy and function, and assess microorganisms at a strain resolution even in the complex soil microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masako Kifushi
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan; Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Yohei Nishikawa
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan; Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
| | - Masahito Hosokawa
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan; Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan; Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan; Institute for Advanced Research of Biosystem Dynamics, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Keigo Ide
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan; Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Masato Kogawa
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan
| | - Toyoaki Anai
- Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Haruko Takeyama
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan; Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan; Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041, Japan; Institute for Advanced Research of Biosystem Dynamics, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.
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Li X, Zheng X, Yadav N, Saha S, Salama ES, Li X, Wang L, Jeon BH. Rational management of the plant microbiome for the Second Green Revolution. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 5:100812. [PMID: 38213028 PMCID: PMC11009158 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2024.100812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The Green Revolution of the mid-20th century transformed agriculture worldwide and has resulted in environmental challenges. A new approach, the Second Green Revolution, seeks to enhance agricultural productivity while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Plant microbiomes play critical roles in plant growth and stress responses, and understanding plant-microbiome interactions is essential for developing sustainable agricultural practices that meet food security and safety challenges, which are among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This review provides a comprehensive exploration of key deterministic processes crucial for developing microbiome management strategies, including the host effect, the facilitator effect, and microbe-microbe interactions. A hierarchical framework for plant microbiome modulation is proposed to bridge the gap between basic research and agricultural applications. This framework emphasizes three levels of modulation: single-strain, synthetic community, and in situ microbiome modulation. Overall, rational management of plant microbiomes has wide-ranging applications in agriculture and can potentially be a core technology for the Second Green Revolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofang Li
- Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
| | - Xin Zheng
- Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
| | - Nikita Yadav
- Department of Earth Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea
| | - Shouvik Saha
- Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota Duluth, Hermantown, MN 55811, USA; Department of Biotechnology, Brainware University, Barasat, Kolkata 700125, West Bengal, India
| | - El-Sayed Salama
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Xiangkai Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
| | - Likun Wang
- Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, China.
| | - Byong-Hun Jeon
- Department of Earth Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea.
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5
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Wagner MR. Identifying causes and consequences of rhizosphere microbiome heritability. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002604. [PMID: 38669216 PMCID: PMC11051602 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Host genotype affects microbiome composition in many plants, but the mechanisms and implications of this phenomenon are understudied. New work in PLOS Biology illustrates how host genotype leads to differential gene expression and fitness in bacteria of the barley rhizosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie R. Wagner
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research; University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
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6
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Kimotho RN, Maina S. Unraveling plant-microbe interactions: can integrated omics approaches offer concrete answers? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:1289-1313. [PMID: 37950741 PMCID: PMC10901211 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Advances in high throughput omics techniques provide avenues to decipher plant microbiomes. However, there is limited information on how integrated informatics can help provide deeper insights into plant-microbe interactions in a concerted way. Integrating multi-omics datasets can transform our understanding of the plant microbiome from unspecified genetic influences on interacting species to specific gene-by-gene interactions. Here, we highlight recent progress and emerging strategies in crop microbiome omics research and review key aspects of how the integration of host and microbial omics-based datasets can be used to provide a comprehensive outline of complex crop-microbe interactions. We describe how these technological advances have helped unravel crucial plant and microbial genes and pathways that control beneficial, pathogenic, and commensal plant-microbe interactions. We identify crucial knowledge gaps and synthesize current limitations in our understanding of crop microbiome omics approaches. We highlight recent studies in which multi-omics-based approaches have led to improved models of crop microbial community structure and function. Finally, we recommend holistic approaches in integrating host and microbial omics datasets to achieve precision and efficiency in data analysis, which is crucial for biotic and abiotic stress control and in understanding the contribution of the microbiota in shaping plant fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Njoroge Kimotho
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Soil Ecology, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Centre for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Solomon Maina
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, New South Wales 2568, Australia
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7
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Pogoda CS, Keepers KG, Reinert S, Talukder ZI, Smart BC, Attia Z, Corwin JA, Money KL, Collier-Zans ECE, Underwood W, Gulya TJ, Quandt CA, Kane NC, Hulke BS. Heritable differences in abundance of bacterial rhizosphere taxa are correlated with fungal necrotrophic pathogen resistance. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17218. [PMID: 38038696 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Host-microbe interactions are increasingly recognized as important drivers of organismal health, growth, longevity and community-scale ecological processes. However, less is known about how genetic variation affects hosts' associated microbiomes and downstream phenotypes. We demonstrate that sunflower (Helianthus annuus) harbours substantial, heritable variation in microbial communities under field conditions. We show that microbial communities co-vary with heritable variation in resistance to root infection caused by the necrotrophic pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and that plants grown in autoclaved soil showed almost complete elimination of pathogen resistance. Association mapping suggests at least 59 genetic locations with effects on both microbial relative abundance and Sclerotinia resistance. Although the genetic architecture appears quantitative, we have elucidated previously unexplained genetic variation for resistance to this pathogen. We identify new targets for plant breeding and demonstrate the potential for heritable microbial associations to play important roles in defence in natural and human-altered environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cloe S Pogoda
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Kyle G Keepers
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Stephan Reinert
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Zahirul I Talukder
- USDA-ARS Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit, Edward T Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
- Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - Brian C Smart
- Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - Ziv Attia
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Jason A Corwin
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Kennedy L Money
- Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - Erin C E Collier-Zans
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - William Underwood
- USDA-ARS Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit, Edward T Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - Thomas J Gulya
- USDA-ARS Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit, Edward T Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
| | - C Alisha Quandt
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Nolan C Kane
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Brent S Hulke
- USDA-ARS Sunflower and Plant Biology Research Unit, Edward T Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
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8
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Kural-Rendon C, Ford NE, Wagner MR. Interactions with fungi vary among Tripsacum dactyloides genotypes from across a precipitation gradient. AOB PLANTS 2023; 15:plad072. [PMID: 38028745 PMCID: PMC10667659 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plad072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Plant-associated microbes, specifically fungal endophytes, augment the ability of many grasses to adapt to extreme environmental conditions. Tripsacum dactyloides (Eastern gamagrass) is a perennial, drought-tolerant grass native to the tallgrass prairies of the central USA. The extent to which the microbiome of T. dactyloides contributes to its drought tolerance is unknown. Ninety-seven genotypes of T. dactyloides were collected from native populations across an east-west precipitation gradient in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, and then grown together in a common garden for over 20 years. Root and leaf samples were visually examined for fungal density. Because fungal endophytes confer drought-tolerant capabilities to their host plants, we expected to find higher densities of fungal endophytes in plants from western, drier regions, compared to plants from eastern, wetter regions. Results confirmed a negative correlation between endophyte densities in roots and precipitation at the genotype's original location (r = -0.21 P = 0.04). Our analyses reveal that the host genotype's origin along the precipitation gradient predicts the absolute abundance of symbionts in the root, but not the relative abundances of particular organisms or the overall community composition. Overall, these results demonstrate that genetic variation for plant-microbe interactions can reflect historical environment, and reinforce the importance of considering plant genotype in conservation and restoration work in tallgrass prairie ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceyda Kural-Rendon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Natalie E Ford
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
- Kansas Biological Survey and Center for Ecological Research, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Maggie R Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
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9
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Francis JS, Mueller TG, Vannette RL. Intraspecific variation in realized dispersal probability and host quality shape nectar microbiomes. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:1233-1245. [PMID: 37614102 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Epiphytic microbes frequently affect plant phenotype and fitness, but their effects depend on microbe abundance and community composition. Filtering by plant traits and deterministic dispersal-mediated processes can affect microbiome assembly, yet their relative contribution to predictable variation in microbiome is poorly understood. We compared the effects of host-plant filtering and dispersal on nectar microbiome presence, abundance, and composition. We inoculated representative bacteria and yeast into 30 plants across four phenotypically distinct cultivars of Epilobium canum. We compared the growth of inoculated communities to openly visited flowers from a subset of the same plants. There was clear evidence of host selection when we inoculated flowers with synthetic communities. However, plants with the highest microbial densities when inoculated did not have the highest microbial densities when openly visited. Instead, plants predictably varied in the presence of bacteria, which was correlated with pollen receipt and floral traits, suggesting a role for deterministic dispersal. These findings suggest that host filtering could drive plant microbiome assembly in tissues where species pools are large and dispersal is high. However, deterministic differences in microbial dispersal to hosts may be equally or more important when microbes rely on an animal vector, dispersal is low, or arrival order is important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Francis
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Tobias G Mueller
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Rachel L Vannette
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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10
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Escudero-Martinez C, Bulgarelli D. Engineering the Crop Microbiota Through Host Genetics. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2023; 61:257-277. [PMID: 37196364 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-021621-121447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The microbiota populating the plant-soil continuum defines an untapped resource for sustainable crop production. The host plant is a driver for the taxonomic composition and function of these microbial communities. In this review, we illustrate how the host genetic determinants of the microbiota have been shaped by plant domestication and crop diversification. We discuss how the heritable component of microbiota recruitment may represent, at least partially, a selection for microbial functions underpinning the growth, development, and health of their host plants and how the magnitude of this heritability is influenced by the environment. We illustrate how host-microbiota interactions can be treated as an external quantitative trait and review recent studies associating crop genetics with microbiota-based quantitative traits. We also explore the results of reductionist approaches, including synthetic microbial communities, to establish causal relationships between microbiota and plant phenotypes. Lastly, we propose strategies to integrate microbiota manipulation into crop selection programs. Although a detailed understanding of when and how heritability for microbiota composition can be deployed for breeding purposes is still lacking, we argue that advances in crop genomics are likely to accelerate wider applications of plant-microbiota interactions in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Davide Bulgarelli
- Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom; ,
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11
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Henry LP, Bergelson J. Evolutionary implications of host genetic control for engineering beneficial microbiomes. CURRENT OPINION IN SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2023; 34:None. [PMID: 37287906 PMCID: PMC10242548 DOI: 10.1016/j.coisb.2023.100455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Engineering new functions in the microbiome requires understanding how host genetic control and microbe-microbe interactions shape the microbiome. One key genetic mechanism underlying host control is the immune system. The immune system can promote stability in the composition of the microbiome by reshaping the ecological dynamics of its members, but the degree of stability will depend on the interplay between ecological context, immune system development, and higher-order microbe-microbe interactions. The eco-evolutionary interplay affecting composition and stability should inform the strategies used to engineer new functions in the microbiome. We conclude with recent methodological developments that provide an important path forward for both engineering new functionality in the microbiome and broadly understanding how ecological interactions shape evolutionary processes in complex biological systems.
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Addison S, Armstrong C, Wigley K, Hartley R, Wakelin S. What matters most? Assessment of within-canopy factors influencing the needle microbiome of the model conifer, Pinus radiata. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2023; 18:45. [PMID: 37254222 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00507-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The assembly and function of the phyllosphere microbiome is important to the overall fitness of plants and, thereby, the ecosystems they inhabit. Presently, model systems for tree phyllosphere microbiome studies are lacking, yet forests resilient to pests, diseases, and climate change are important to support a myriad of ecosystem services impacting from local to global levels. In this study, we extend the development of model microbiome systems for trees species, particularly coniferous gymnosperms, by undertaking a structured approach assessing the phyllosphere microbiome of Pinus radiata. Canopy sampling height was the single most important factor influencing both alpha- and beta-diversity of bacterial and fungal communities (p < 0.005). Bacterial and fungal phyllosphere microbiome richness was lowest in samples from the top of the canopy, subsequently increasing in the middle and then bottom canopy samples. These differences maybe driven by either by (1) exchange of microbiomes with the forest floor and soil with the lower foliage, (2) strong ecological filtering in the upper canopy via environmental exposure (e.g., UV), (3) canopy density, (4) or combinations of factors. Most taxa present in the top canopy were also present lower in tree; as such, sampling strategies focussing on lower canopy sampling should provide good overall phyllosphere microbiome coverage for the tree. The dominant phyllosphere bacteria were Alpha-proteobacteria (Rhizobiales and Sphingomonas) along with Acidobacteria Gp1. However, the P. radiata phyllosphere microbiome samples were fungal dominated. From the top canopy samples, Arthoniomycetes and Dothideomycetes were highly represented, with abundances of Arthoniomycetes then reducing in lower canopy samples whilst abundances of Ascomycota increased. The most abundant fungal taxa were Phaeococcomyces (14.4% of total reads) and Phaeotheca spp. (10.38%). A second-order effect of canopy sampling direction was evident in bacterial community composition (p = 0.01); these directional influences were not evident for fungal communities. However, sterilisation of needles did impact fungal community composition (p = 0.025), indicating potential for community differences in the endosphere versus leaf surface compartments. Needle age was only important in relation to bacterial communities, but was canopy height dependant (interaction p = 0.008). By building an understanding of the primary and secondary factors related to intra-canopy phyllosphere microbiome variation, we provide a sampling framework to either explicitly minimise or capture variation in needle collection to enable ongoing ecological studies targeted at inter-canopy or other experimental levels.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Steven Wakelin
- Scion, P.O. Box 29237, Riccarton, Christchurch, 8440, New Zealand.
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Escudero Martinez CM. Plant-microbe interactions: Mining heritable root-associated microbiota across environments. Curr Biol 2023; 33:R413-R415. [PMID: 37220735 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The root-associated microbiota represents an untapped reservoir of beneficial functions for plants. A new study begins unravelling the host genetic determinants governing these interactions across environments, which will be a key step towards the development of novel climate-smart crops.
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Burrill HM, Wang G, Bever JD. Rapid differentiation of soil and root microbiomes in response to plant composition and biodiversity in the field. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:31. [PMID: 37076650 PMCID: PMC10115818 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00237-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Research suggests that microbiomes play a major role in structuring plant communities and influencing ecosystem processes, however, the relative roles and strength of change of microbial components have not been identified. We measured the response of fungal, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF), bacteria, and oomycete composition 4 months after planting of field plots that varied in plant composition and diversity. Plots were planted using 18 prairie plant species from three plant families (Poaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae) in monoculture, 2, 3, or 6 species richness mixtures and either species within multiple families or one family. Soil cores were collected and homogenized per plot and DNA were extracted from soil and roots of each plot. We found that all microbial groups responded to the planting design, indicating rapid microbiome response to plant composition. Fungal pathogen communities were strongly affected by plant diversity. We identified OTUs from genera of putatively pathogenic fungi that increased with plant family, indicating likely pathogen specificity. Bacteria were strongly differentiated by plant family in roots but not soil. Fungal pathogen diversity increased with planted species richness, while oomycete diversity, as well as bacterial diversity in roots, decreased. AMF differentiation in roots was detected with individual plant species, but not plant family or richness. Fungal saprotroph composition differentiated between plant family composition in plots, providing evidence for decomposer home-field advantage. The observed patterns are consistent with rapid microbiome differentiation with plant composition, which could generate rapid feedbacks on plant growth in the field, thereby potentially influencing plant community structure, and influence ecosystem processes. These findings highlight the importance of native microbial inoculation in restoration.
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15
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Edwards JA, Saran UB, Bonnette J, MacQueen A, Yin J, Nguyen TU, Schmutz J, Grimwood J, Pennacchio LA, Daum C, Glavina Del Rio T, Fritschi FB, Lowry DB, Juenger TE. Genetic determinants of switchgrass-root-associated microbiota in field sites spanning its natural range. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1926-1938.e6. [PMID: 37080198 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
A fundamental goal in plant microbiome research is to determine the relative impacts of host and environmental effects on root microbiota composition, particularly how host genotype impacts bacterial community composition. Most studies characterizing the effect of plant genotype on root microbiota undersample host genetic diversity and grow plants outside of their native ranges, making the associations between host and microbes difficult to interpret. Here, we characterized the root microbiota of a large diversity panel of switchgrass, a North American native C4 bioenergy crop, in three field locations spanning its native range. Our data, composed of 1,961 samples, suggest that field location is the primary determinant of microbiome composition; however, substantial heritable variation is widespread across bacterial taxa, especially those in the Sphingomonadaceae family. Despite diverse compositions, relatively few highly prevalent taxa make up the majority of the switchgrass root microbiota, a large fraction of which is shared across sites. Local genotypes preferentially recruit/filter for local microbes, supporting the idea of affinity between local plants and their microbiota. Using genome-wide association, we identified loci impacting the abundance of >400 microbial strains and found an enrichment of genes involved in immune responses, signaling pathways, and secondary metabolism. We found loci associated with over half of the core microbiota (i.e., microbes in >80% of samples), regardless of field location. Finally, we show a genetic relationship between a basal plant immunity pathway and relative abundances of root microbiota. This study brings us closer to harnessing and manipulating beneficial microbial associations via host genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Edwards
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Usha Bishnoi Saran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jason Bonnette
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Alice MacQueen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jun Yin
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Tu Uyen Nguyen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jeremy Schmutz
- Genome Sequencing Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, 601 Genome Way Northwest, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA; Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 91R183 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jane Grimwood
- Genome Sequencing Center, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, 601 Genome Way Northwest, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA
| | - Len A Pennacchio
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 91R183 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Chris Daum
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 91R183 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Tijana Glavina Del Rio
- Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 91R183 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Felix B Fritschi
- Department of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Agriculture Bldg, 52, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - David B Lowry
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, Rm 166, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Thomas E Juenger
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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16
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Faist H, Trognitz F, Antonielli L, Symanczik S, White PJ, Sessitsch A. Potato root-associated microbiomes adapt to combined water and nutrient limitation and have a plant genotype-specific role for plant stress mitigation. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2023; 18:18. [PMID: 36918963 PMCID: PMC10012461 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-023-00469-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to climate change and reduced use of fertilizers combined stress scenarios are becoming increasingly frequent in crop production. In a field experiment we tested the effect of combined water and phosphorus limitation on the growth performance and plant traits of eight tetraploid and two diploid potato varieties as well as on root-associated microbiome diversity and functional potential. Microbiome and metagenome analysis targeted the diversity and potential functions of prokaryotes, fungi, plasmids, and bacteriophages and was linked to plant traits like tuber yield or timing of canopy closure. RESULTS The different potato genotypes responded differently to the combined stress and hosted distinct microbiota in the rhizosphere and the root endosphere. Proximity to the root, stress and potato genotype had significant effects on bacteria, whereas fungi were only mildly affected. To address the involvement of microbial functions, we investigated well and poorly performing potato genotypes (Stirling and Desirée, respectively) under stress conditions and executed a metagenome analysis of rhizosphere microbiomes subjected to stress and no stress conditions. Functions like ROS detoxification, aromatic amino acid and terpene metabolism were enriched and in synchrony with the metabolism of stressed plants. In Desirée, Pseudonocardiales had the genetic potential to take up assimilates produced in the fast-growing canopy and to reduce plant stress-sensing by degrading ethylene, but overall yield losses were high. In Stirling, Xanthomonadales had the genetic potential to reduce oxidative stress and to produce biofilms, potentially around roots. Biofilm formation could be involved in drought resilience and nutrient accessibility of Stirling and explain the recorded low yield losses. In the rhizosphere exposed to combined stress, the relative abundance of plasmids was reduced, and the diversity of phages was enriched. Moreover, mobile elements like plasmids and phages were affected by combined stresses in a genotype-specific manner. CONCLUSION Our study gives new insights into the interconnectedness of root-associated microbiota and plant stress responses in the field. Functional genes in the metagenome, phylogenetic composition and mobile elements play a role in potato stress adaption. In a poor and a well performing potato genotype grown under stress conditions, distinct functional genes pinpoint to a distinct stress sensing, water availability and compounds in the rhizospheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Faist
- Bioresources Unit, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
| | - Friederike Trognitz
- Bioresources Unit, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
| | - Livio Antonielli
- Bioresources Unit, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
| | - Sarah Symanczik
- Soil Science Department, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstraße 113, 5070 Frick, Switzerland
| | | | - Angela Sessitsch
- Bioresources Unit, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
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17
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Genome-Wide Association Studies across Environmental and Genetic Contexts Reveal Complex Genetic Architecture of Symbiotic Extended Phenotypes. mBio 2022; 13:e0182322. [PMID: 36286519 PMCID: PMC9765617 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01823-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A goal of modern biology is to develop the genotype-phenotype (G→P) map, a predictive understanding of how genomic information generates trait variation that forms the basis of both natural and managed communities. As microbiome research advances, however, it has become clear that many of these traits are symbiotic extended phenotypes, being governed by genetic variation encoded not only by the host's own genome, but also by the genomes of myriad cryptic symbionts. Building a reliable G→P map therefore requires accounting for the multitude of interacting genes and even genomes involved in symbiosis. Here, we use naturally occurring genetic variation in 191 strains of the model microbial symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti paired with two genotypes of the host Medicago truncatula in four genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to determine the genomic architecture of a key symbiotic extended phenotype-partner quality, or the fitness benefit conferred to a host by a particular symbiont genotype, within and across environmental contexts and host genotypes. We define three novel categories of loci in rhizobium genomes that must be accounted for if we want to build a reliable G→P map of partner quality; namely, (i) loci whose identities depend on the environment, (ii) those that depend on the host genotype with which rhizobia interact, and (iii) universal loci that are likely important in all or most environments. IMPORTANCE Given the rapid rise of research on how microbiomes can be harnessed to improve host health, understanding the contribution of microbial genetic variation to host phenotypic variation is pressing, and will better enable us to predict the evolution of (and select more precisely for) symbiotic extended phenotypes that impact host health. We uncover extensive context-dependency in both the identity and functions of symbiont loci that control host growth, which makes predicting the genes and pathways important for determining symbiotic outcomes under different conditions more challenging. Despite this context-dependency, we also resolve a core set of universal loci that are likely important in all or most environments, and thus, serve as excellent targets both for genetic engineering and future coevolutionary studies of symbiosis.
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18
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Yin J, Zhang Z, Zhu C, Wang T, Wang R, Ruan L. Heritability of tomato rhizobacteria resistant to Ralstonia solanacearum. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:227. [PMID: 36517876 PMCID: PMC9753271 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01413-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs) is a soilborne phytopathogen that causes bacterial wilt and substantial yield losses in many plants, such as tomatoes. A resistant tomato cultivar can recruit a beneficial microbiome from soil to resist Rs. However, whether this recruitment is inheritable from resistant parent to progeny has not been determined. RESULTS In the present study, we investigated the rhizosphere microbiomes of tomatoes with clear kinship and different resistance against Rs. Resistant tomatoes grown with the additions of natural soil or its extract showed lower disease indexes than those grown in the sterile soil, demonstrating the importance of soil microbiome in resisting Rs. The results of 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed that the resistant cultivars had more robust rhizosphere microbiomes than the susceptible ones. Besides, the resistant progeny HF12 resembled its resistant parent HG64 in the rhizosphere microbiome. The rhizosphere microbiome had functional consistency between HF12 and HG64 as revealed by metagenomics. Based on multi-omics analysis and experimental validation, two rhizobacteria (Sphingomonas sp. Cra20 and Pseudomonas putida KT2440) were enriched in HF12 and HG64 with the ability to offer susceptible tomatoes considerable protection against Rs. Multiple aspects were involved in the protection, including reducing the virulence-related genes of Rs and reshaping the transcriptomes of the susceptible tomatoes. CONCLUSIONS We found promising bacteria to suppress the tomato bacterial wilt in sustainable agriculture. And our research provides insights into the heritability of Rs-resistant tomato rhizobacteria, echoing the inheritance of tomato genetic material. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiakang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Ziliang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Chengcheng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Taotao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Horticulture Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agriculture University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Ruihong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology in Tibet Plateau (Tibet Agricultural & Animal Husbandry University), Ministry of Education, Nyingchi, 860000, Tibet, China
| | - Lifang Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- College of Resources & Environment, Tibet Agriculture & Animal Husbandry University, Nyingchi, 860000, Tibet, China.
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19
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Gutierrez A, Grillo MA. Effects of Domestication on Plant-Microbiome Interactions. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 63:1654-1666. [PMID: 35876043 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcac108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Through the process of domestication, selection is targeted on a limited number of plant traits that are typically associated with yield. As an unintended consequence, domesticated plants often perform poorly compared to their wild progenitors for a multitude of traits that were not under selection during domestication, including abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. Over the past decade, advances in sequencing technology have allowed for the rigorous characterization of host-associated microbial communities, termed the microbiome. It is now clear that nearly every conceivable plant interaction with the environment is mediated by interactions with the microbiome. For this reason, plant-microbiome interactions are an area of great promise for plant breeding and crop improvement. Here, we review the literature to assess the potential impact that domestication has had on plant-microbiome interactions and the current understanding of the genetic basis of microbiome variation to inform plant breeding efforts. Overall, we find limited evidence that domestication impacts the diversity of microbiomes, but domestication is often associated with shifts in the abundance and composition of microbial communities, including taxa of known functional significance. Moreover, genome-wide association studies and mutant analysis have not revealed a consistent set of core candidate genes or genetic pathways that confer variation in microbiomes across systems. However, such studies do implicate a consistent role for plant immunity, root traits, root and leaf exudates and cell wall integrity as key traits that control microbiome colonization and assembly. Therefore, selection on these key traits may pose the most immediate promise for enhancing plant-microbiome interactions through breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Gutierrez
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Michael A Grillo
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
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20
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Fleishman SM, Eissenstat DM, Bell TH, Centinari M. Functionally-explicit sampling can answer key questions about the specificity of plant-microbe interactions. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2022; 17:51. [PMID: 36221138 PMCID: PMC9555203 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-022-00445-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The rhizosphere is a nexus for plant-microbe interactions and, as a host-structured environment, a location of high activity for distinct microbes and plant species. Although our insights into this habitat have exploded in recent years, we are still limited in our ability to answer key questions about the specificity of these root-microbial relationships. In particular, it can be difficult to confirm or reject microbiome heritability in many plant systems and to pinpoint which microbial taxa are key to plant functioning. Like other host-structured environments, the rhizosphere is structurally, chemically, and biologically complex, driven largely by differences in root anatomy, location, and function. In this Correspondence, we describe a review of 377 "rhizosphere microbiome" research papers and demonstrate how matching a sampling method to the biological question can advance our understanding of host-microbe interactions in a functionally heterogeneous environment. We found that the vast majority of studies (92%) pool all roots from a root system during sampling, ignoring variation in microbial composition between roots of different function and limiting insight into key root-microbial relationships. Furthermore, approaches for removing root-associated microbes are highly variable and non-standard, complicating multi-study analyses. Our understanding of the strength and nature of host-microbe relationships in heterogenous host-microbiome environments can be clarified by targeting sampling to locations of high interaction. While the high complexity of the rhizosphere creates logistical challenges, we suggest that unambiguous language and refined approaches will improve our ability to match methods to research questions and advance our understanding of the specificity of plant-microbial interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne M. Fleishman
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
- Graduate Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - David M. Eissenstat
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
- Graduate Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - Terrence H. Bell
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
- Graduate Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
| | - Michela Centinari
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
- Graduate Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 USA
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21
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Diwan D, Rashid MM, Vaishnav A. Current understanding of plant-microbe interaction through the lenses of multi-omics approaches and their benefits in sustainable agriculture. Microbiol Res 2022; 265:127180. [PMID: 36126490 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2022.127180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The success of sustainable agricultural practices has now become heavily dependent on the interactions between crop plants and their associated microbiome. Continuous advancement in high throughput sequencing platforms, omics-based approaches, and gene editing technologies has remarkably accelerated this area of research. It has enabled us to characterize the interactions of plants with associated microbial communities more comprehensively and accurately. Furthermore, the genomic and post-genomic era has significantly refined our perspective toward the complex mechanisms involved in those interactions, opening new avenues for efficiently deploying the knowledge in developing sustainable agricultural practices. This review focuses on our fundamental understanding of plant-microbe interactions and the contribution of existing multi-omics approaches, including those under active development and their tremendous success in unraveling different aspects of the complex network between plant hosts and microbes. In addition, we have also discussed the importance of sustainable and eco-friendly agriculture and the associated outstanding challenges ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepti Diwan
- Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Md Mahtab Rashid
- Department of Plant Pathology, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar 813210, India; Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India
| | - Anukool Vaishnav
- Department of Biotechnology, GLA University, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh 281121, India; Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zürich, Zollikerstrasse 107, Zürich CH-8008, Switzerland; Plant-Soil Interaction Group, Agroscope (Reckenholz), Reckenholzstrasse 191, Zürich 8046, Switzerland
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22
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Karasov TL, Lundberg DS. The changing influence of host genetics on the leaf fungal microbiome throughout plant development. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001748. [PMID: 35960709 PMCID: PMC9374218 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Talia L. Karasov
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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23
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Lajoie G, Parfrey LW. Beyond specialization: re-examining routes of host influence on symbiont evolution. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:590-598. [PMID: 35466020 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Our understanding of host influence on microbial evolution has focused on symbiont specialization and the genomic streamlining that often accompanies it. However, a vast diversity of symbiotic lineages facultatively interact with hosts or associate with multiple hosts. Yet, there are no clear expectations for how host association influences the niche of these symbionts or their evolution. Here, we discuss how weak or variable selection on microbial symbiotic associations, horizontal transmission, and low costs of adaptation to novel host habitats are predicted to promote the expansion or maintenance of microbial niches. This broad perspective will aid in developing better and more general predictions for evolution in microbial symbioses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geneviève Lajoie
- Botany Department, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4.
| | - Laura Wegener Parfrey
- Botany Department, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4
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24
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Medina-Paz F, Herrera-Estrella L, Heil M. All Set before Flowering: A 16S Gene Amplicon-Based Analysis of the Root Microbiome Recruited by Common Bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris) in Its Centre of Domestication. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:1631. [PMID: 35807585 PMCID: PMC9269403 DOI: 10.3390/plants11131631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant roots recruit most prokaryotic members of their root microbiota from the locally available inoculum, but knowledge on the contribution of native microorganisms to the root microbiota of crops in native versus non-native areas remains scarce. We grew common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) at a field site in its centre of domestication to characterise rhizosphere and endosphere bacterial communities at the vegetative, flowering, and pod filling stage. 16S r RNA gene amplicon sequencing of ten samples yielded 9,401,757 reads, of which 8,344,070 were assigned to 17,352 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Rhizosphere communities were four times more diverse than in the endosphere and dominated by Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Crenarchaeota, and Proteobacteria (endosphere: 99% Proteobacteria). We also detected high abundances of Gemmatimonadetes (6%), Chloroflexi (4%), and the archaeal phylum Thaumarchaeota (Candidatus Nitrososphaera: 11.5%): taxa less frequently reported from common bean rhizosphere. Among 154 OTUs with different abundances between vegetative and flowering stage, we detected increased read numbers of Chryseobacterium in the endosphere and a 40-fold increase in the abundances of OTUs classified as Rhizobium and Aeromonas (equivalent to 1.5% and over 6% of all reads in the rhizosphere). Our results indicate that bean recruits specific taxa into its microbiome when growing 'at home'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Medina-Paz
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Plantas, Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)—Unidad Irapuato, Irapuato 36824, GTO, Mexico;
| | - Luis Herrera-Estrella
- Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)—Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Irapuato 36824, GTO, Mexico; or
- Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79424, USA
| | - Martin Heil
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Plantas, Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV)—Unidad Irapuato, Irapuato 36824, GTO, Mexico;
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25
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Abdelfattah A, Tack AJM, Wasserman B, Liu J, Berg G, Norelli J, Droby S, Wisniewski M. Evidence for host-microbiome co-evolution in apple. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 234:2088-2100. [PMID: 34823272 PMCID: PMC9299473 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Plants evolved in association with a diverse community of microorganisms. The effect of plant phylogeny and domestication on host-microbiome co-evolutionary dynamics are poorly understood. Here we examined the effect of domestication and plant lineage on the composition of the endophytic microbiome of 11 Malus species, representing three major groups: domesticated apple (M. domestica), wild apple progenitors, and wild Malus species. The endophytic community of M. domestica and its wild progenitors showed higher microbial diversity and abundance than wild Malus species. Heirloom and modern cultivars harbored a distinct community composition, though the difference was not significant. A community-wide Bayesian model revealed that the endophytic microbiome of domesticated apple is an admixture of its wild progenitors, with clear evidence for microbiome introgression, especially for the bacterial community. We observed a significant correlation between the evolutionary distance of Malus species and their microbiome. This study supports co-evolution between Malus species and their microbiome during domestication. This finding has major implications for future breeding programs and our understanding of the evolution of plants and their microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Abdelfattah
- Institute of Environmental BiotechnologyGraz University of TechnologyPetersgasse 12Graz8010Austria
- Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Max‐Eyth Allee 10014469PotsdamGermany
| | - Ayco J. M. Tack
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversitySvante Arrhenius väg 20AStockholmSE‐106 91Sweden
| | - Birgit Wasserman
- Institute of Environmental BiotechnologyGraz University of TechnologyPetersgasse 12Graz8010Austria
| | - Jia Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Economic Plant BiotechnologyCollege of Landscape Architecture and Life SciencesChongqing University of Arts and SciencesYongchuanChongquing402160China
| | - Gabriele Berg
- Institute of Environmental BiotechnologyGraz University of TechnologyPetersgasse 12Graz8010Austria
- Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)Max‐Eyth Allee 10014469PotsdamGermany
- Institute for Biochemistry and BiologyUniversity of Postdam14476Potsdam OT GolmGermany
| | - John Norelli
- Appalachian Fruit Research StationUnited States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research ServiceKearneysvilleWV25430USA
| | - Samir Droby
- Department of Postharvest ScienceAgricultural Research OrganizationThe Volcani InstitutePO Box 15159Rishon LeZion7505101Israel
| | - Michael Wisniewski
- Department of Biological SciencesVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University220 Ag Quad LnBlacksburgVA24061USA
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26
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Sutherland J, Bell T, Trexler RV, Carlson JE, Lasky JR. Host genomic influence on bacterial composition in the switchgrass rhizosphere. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:3934-3950. [PMID: 35621390 PMCID: PMC10150372 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Host genetic variation can shape the diversity and composition of associated microbiomes, which may reciprocally influence host traits and performance. While the genetic basis of phenotypic diversity of plant populations in nature has been studied, comparatively little research has investigated the genetics of host effects on their associated microbiomes. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a highly outcrossing, perennial, grass species with substantial locally adaptive diversity across its native North American range. Here, we compared 383 switchgrass accessions in a common garden to determine the host genotypic influence on rhizosphere bacterial composition. We hypothesized that the composition and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial assemblages would differentiate due to genotypic differences between hosts (potentially due to root phenotypes and associated life history variation). We observed higher alpha diversity of bacteria associated with upland ecotypes and tetraploids, compared to lowland ecotypes and octoploids, respectively. Alpha diversity correlated negatively with flowering time and plant height, indicating that bacterial composition varies along switchgrass life history axes. Narrow-sense heritability (h2 ) of the relative abundance of twenty-one core bacterial families was observed. Overall compositional differences among tetraploids, due to genetic variation, supports wide-spread genotypic influence on the rhizosphere microbiome. Tetraploids were only considered due to complexities associated with the octoploid genomes. Lastly, a genome-wide association study identified 1,861 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with 110 families and genes containing them related to potential regulatory functions. Our findings suggest that switchgrass genomic and life-history variation influences bacterial composition in the rhizosphere, potentially due to host adaptation to local environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Sutherland
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Bioinformatics and Genomics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Terrence Bell
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Bioinformatics and Genomics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Ryan V Trexler
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - John E Carlson
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Bioinformatics and Genomics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Jesse R Lasky
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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27
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Mueller UG, Linksvayer TA. Microbiome breeding: conceptual and practical issues. Trends Microbiol 2022; 30:997-1011. [PMID: 35595643 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Microbiome breeding is a new artificial selection technique that seeks to change the genetic composition of microbiomes in order to benefit plant or animal hosts. Recent experimental and theoretical analyses have shown that microbiome breeding is possible whenever microbiome-encoded genetic factors affect host traits (e.g., health) and microbiomes are transmissible between hosts with sufficient fidelity, such as during natural microbiome transmission between individuals of social animals, or during experimental microbiome transplanting between plants. To address misunderstandings that stymie microbiome-breeding programs, we (i) clarify and visualize the corresponding elements of microbiome selection and standard selection; (ii) elucidate the eco-evolutionary processes underlying microbiome selection within a quantitative genetic framework to summarize practical guidelines that optimize microbiome breeding; and (iii) characterize the kinds of host species most amenable to microbiome breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich G Mueller
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Timothy A Linksvayer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
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28
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Cangioli L, Vaccaro F, Fini M, Mengoni A, Fagorzi C. Scent of a Symbiont: The Personalized Genetic Relationships of Rhizobium—Plant Interaction. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063358. [PMID: 35328782 PMCID: PMC8954435 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Many molecular signals are exchanged between rhizobia and host legume plants, some of which are crucial for symbiosis to take place, while others are modifiers of the interaction, which have great importance in the competition with the soil microbiota and in the genotype-specific perception of host plants. Here, we review recent findings on strain-specific and host genotype-specific interactions between rhizobia and legumes, discussing the molecular actors (genes, gene products and metabolites) which play a role in the establishment of symbiosis, and highlighting the need for research including the other components of the soil (micro)biota, which could be crucial in developing rational-based strategies for bioinoculants and synthetic communities’ assemblage.
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29
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Galindo-Castañeda T, Lynch JP, Six J, Hartmann M. Improving Soil Resource Uptake by Plants Through Capitalizing on Synergies Between Root Architecture and Anatomy and Root-Associated Microorganisms. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:827369. [PMID: 35356114 PMCID: PMC8959776 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.827369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Root architectural and anatomical phenotypes are highly diverse. Specific root phenotypes can be associated with better plant growth under low nutrient and water availability. Therefore, root ideotypes have been proposed as breeding targets for more stress-resilient and resource-efficient crops. For example, root phenotypes that correspond to the Topsoil Foraging ideotype are associated with better plant growth under suboptimal phosphorus availability, and root phenotypes that correspond to the Steep, Cheap and Deep ideotype are linked to better performance under suboptimal availability of nitrogen and water. We propose that natural variation in root phenotypes translates into a diversity of different niches for microbial associations in the rhizosphere, rhizoplane and root cortex, and that microbial traits could have synergistic effects with the beneficial effect of specific root phenotypes. Oxygen and water content, carbon rhizodeposition, nutrient availability, and root surface area are all factors that are modified by root anatomy and architecture and determine the structure and function of the associated microbial communities. Recent research results indicate that root characteristics that may modify microbial communities associated with maize include aerenchyma, rooting angle, root hairs, and lateral root branching density. Therefore, the selection of root phenotypes linked to better plant growth under specific edaphic conditions should be accompanied by investigating and selecting microbial partners better adapted to each set of conditions created by the corresponding root phenotype. Microbial traits such as nitrogen transformation, phosphorus solubilization, and water retention could have synergistic effects when correctly matched with promising plant root ideotypes for improved nutrient and water capture. We propose that elucidation of the interactive effects of root phenotypes and microbial functions on plant nutrient and water uptake offers new opportunities to increase crop yields and agroecosystem sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Galindo-Castañeda
- Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental System Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan P. Lynch
- Department of Plant Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Johan Six
- Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental System Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Hartmann
- Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Environmental System Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
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30
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Ajilogba CF, Olanrewaju OS, Babalola OO. Plant Growth Stage Drives the Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of the Bacterial Microbiome in the Rhizosphere of Vigna subterranea. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:825377. [PMID: 35250941 PMCID: PMC8891599 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.825377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bambara groundnut (BGN) is an underutilized legume commonly found in sub-Saharan Africa. It thrives in marginal soils and is resistant to drought stress. Several studies have been carried out on the nutritional properties of BGN, but very little is known about the effects of plant growth changes and development on rhizosphere bacterial dynamics and function. This study reports on the bacterial dynamics and function in the bulk and rhizosphere soils of BGN at different growth stages (vegetative, flowering, pod-filling, and maturation stages). Aside from the maturation stage that shows distinct community structure from the other growth stages, results obtained showed no significant differences in bacterial community structure among the other growth stages. At a closer level, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Acidobacteria were dominant in rhizosphere soils at all growth stages. The bulk soil had the least average phyla abundance, while the maturity stage was characterized by the highest average phyla abundance. Rubrobacter, Acidobacterium, and Skermanella were the most predominant genus. It was observed from the analysis of operational taxonomic units that there was significant change in the bacterial structure of the rhizosphere with a higher abundance of potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, at the different growth stages, which include the genera Bacillus and Acidobacterium. Biomarker analysis revealed 7 and 4 highly significant bacterial biomarkers by linear discriminant analysis effect size and random forest analysis at the maturation stage, respectively. The results obtained in this study demonstrated that the bacterial communities of BGN rhizosphere microbiome dynamics and function are influenced by the plant’s growth stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Fadeke Ajilogba
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa
- Agricultural Research Council, Natural Resources and Engineering, Division of Agrometeorology, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Oluwaseyi Samuel Olanrewaju
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa
| | - Olubukola Oluranti Babalola
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Olubukola Oluranti Babalola,
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