Legume plants inhibit the energy-intensive process of symbiotic nitrogen fixation when sufficient nitrate is present, primarily through nodule senescence. However, the nodule-specific genetic regulatory mechanisms of nitrate sensing and nodule senescence are poorly understood. A recent study by Lin and Bjørk et al. identified a key genetic regulator. The authors conducted a large-scale genetic screening […]
Pathogens deploy an array of molecules to create favorable conditions and promote infections in host plants. These molecules are well-known for suppressing host immunity, rendering them more susceptible. However, two recent reports suggest that some pathogen-produced virulence factors may also act independently of host immune suppression. Central to this are a class of molecules known […]
Host plants recognize diverse bacterial epitopes, known as microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), and respond with an immune reaction to control bacterial growth. However, most studies have focused on single bacterial epitopes, limiting our understanding of plant-bacteria interaction outcomes in real-world scenarios. Stevens et al. took an evolutionary approach to study five common MAMPs in 4,228 […]
Plants recruit beneficial microbiomes in the rhizosphere in response to aboveground pathogen infections, a mechanism known as “cry for help.” Zhang and Liu et al. investigated this effect to test whether pathogenicity is necessary for assembling a disease-suppressive rhizomicrobiome. By using nonpathogenic derivatives of Pseudomonas syringae (Pst) DC3000 to elicit immune responses in Arabidopsis, the […]
Plant roots are functionally distinct along the longitudinal axis due to different cell types and diverse metabolic states. Root-secreted metabolites are involved in the assembly of complex microbial communities, yet the relationships between root-metabolites and organization of root microbiota at the spatial scale is poorly understood. This is partly because of a lack of suitable […]
This review by Berruto and Demirer calls for an interdisciplinary approach at the interface of experimental and computational frameworks to address the long-standing challenge of field application of beneficial soil microbiomes. This challenge persists due to our limited understanding of the complex principles governing plant-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions. The authors provide a comprehensive overview of […]
Healthy plants possess a functional immune system, and their leaves harbor a structured microbial community, including opportunistic pathogens. These opportunistic pathogens can trigger plant diseases under conducive conditions, such as when plant immunity is compromised, and the microbial community is disrupted. It remains elusive whether and how an opportunistic pathogen can directly disrupt the microbiome […]
Plants are colonized by numerous beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere, including Pseudomonas fluorescens, that provide benefits including nutrient acquisition and pathogen protection. Host plants must tune their immune systems to restrict microbial overgrowth, while avoiding overstimulation of the immune system (autoimmunity). However, the genetic regulator that integrates rhizosphere microbial cues and autoimmune response is largely […]
Volatile molecules released from plant roots (root VOCs, rVOCs) can diffuse over long distances, thereby increasing the sphere of plant influence. However, their influence on complex soil microbial communities (or microbiomes) and ecological implications are poorly understood, mainly due to technical challenges in capturing and quantifying rVOCs. To overcome these challenges, Kulkarni and Mazumder et […]