Genome-resolved metagenomics reveals role of iron metabolism in drought-induced rhizosphere microbiome dynamics.

Recent studies have demonstrated that drought leads to dramatic, highly conserved shifts in the root microbiome. At present, the molecular mechanisms underlying these responses remain largely uncharacterized. Here we employ genome-resolved metagenomics and comparative genomics to demonstrate that carbohydrate and secondary metabolite transport functionalities are overrepresented within drought-enriched taxa.

Reprogramming sphingolipid glycosylation is required for endosymbiont persistence in Medicago truncatula.

Plant endosymbiosis relies on the development of specialized membranes that encapsulate the endosymbiont and facilitate nutrient exchange. However, the identity and function of lipids within these membrane interfaces is largely unknown. Here, we identify GLUCOSAMINE INOSITOL PHOSPHORYLCERAMIDE TRANSFERASE1 (GINT1) as a sphingolipid glycosyltransferase highly expressed in Medicago truncatula root nodules and roots colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and further demonstrate that this enzyme functions in the synthesis of N-acetyl-glucosamine-decorated glycosyl inositol phosphoryl ceramides (GIPCs) in planta.

Holo-omics for deciphering plant-microbiome interactions.

Host-microbiome interactions are recognized for their importance to host health. An improved understanding of the molecular underpinnings of host-microbiome relationships will advance our capacity to accurately predict host fitness and manipulate interaction outcomes. Within the plant microbiome research field, unlocking the functional relationships between plants and their microbial partners is the next step to effectively using the microbiome to improve plant fitness.

Evaluating domestication and ploidy effects on the assembly of the wheat bacterial microbiome.

While numerous studies implicate the microbiome in host fitness, contributions of host evolution to microbial recruitment remain largely uncharacterized. Past work has shown that plant polyploidy and domestication can influence plant biotic and abiotic interactions, yet impacts on broader microbiome assembly are still unknown for many crop species. In this study, we utilized three approaches-two field studies and one greenhouse-based experiment-to determine the degree to which patterns in bacterial community assembly in wheat (Triticum sp.

Agricultural Soil Management Practices Differentially Shape the Bacterial and Fungal Microbiome of .

Soils play important roles in biological productivity. While past work suggests that microbes affect soil health and respond to agricultural practices, it is not well known how soil management shapes crop host microbiomes. To elucidate the impact of management on microbial composition and function in the sorghum microbiome, we performed 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 amplicon sequencing and metatranscriptomics on soil and root samples collected from a site in California's San Joaquin Valley that is under long-term cultivation with 1) standard (ST) or no tilling (NT) and 2) cover-cropping (CC) or leaving the field fallow (NO).

A Plant Growth-Promoting Microbial Soil Amendment Dynamically Alters the Strawberry Root Bacterial Microbiome.

Despite growing interest in utilizing microbial-based methods for improving crop growth, much work still remains in elucidating how beneficial plant-microbe associations are established, and what role soil amendments play in shaping these interactions. Here, we describe a set of experiments that test the effect of a commercially available soil amendment, VESTA, on the soil and strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Monterey) root bacterial microbiome. The bacterial communities of the soil, rhizosphere, and root from amendment-treated and untreated fields were profiled at four time points across the strawberry growing season using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform.

A first test of elemental allelopathy via heterospecific pollen receipt.

Premise Of The Study: Coflowering plants often share pollinators and may receive mixed species pollen loads. Although detrimental effects of heterospecific pollen receipt have been documented, trait-based modifiers of interactions on the stigma remain largely unknown. Chemicals that mediate interactions between sporophytes could also influence pollen-pollen or pollen-style interactions.