The Microbiota-Root-Shoot Axis in Plant Health and Disease

Projektinformationen

MICROBIOSIS

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 101089198

DOI

10.3030/101089198

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 28 Februar 2023

Startdatum 1 Juni 2023

Enddatum 31 Mai 2028

Finanziert unter

• European Research Council (ERC)

Gesamtkosten

€ 1 999 975,25

EU-Beitrag

€ 1 999 975,00

Koordiniert durch

MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MICROBIOSIS (The Microbiota-Root-Shoot Axis in Plant Health and Disease)

Berichtszeitraum: 2023-06-01 bis 2025-11-30

Zusammenfassung vom Kontext und den Gesamtzielen des Projekts

Hypothesis:
The major hypothesis of MICROBIOSIS is that bidirectional communication between root and shoot organs via long-distance communication with root microbes is key for plant resistance to leaf pathogens, phyllosphere microbiota assembly, as well as for signal integration of multiple stress responses. This communication is vital at all developmental stages, including early stages for immune system maturation and seedling protection. Disruption in this communication can lead to dysbiosis.

Objectives:
WP1: Assess the impact of microbial root commensals on shoot development.
WP2: Identify microbial molecules affecting shoot development and defense.
WP3: Explore the connection between root microbiota and leaf homeostasis.
WP4: Study stress-induced changes in root microbiota via root exudation.
WP5: Investigate glutamate's role in microbiota-root-shoot communication.

Ambition:
MICROBIOSIS aims to establish a new research direction in plant microbiota, identifying evolutionary strategies in Arabidopsis and tomato to enhance shoot resistance through root commensals. Success could lead to engineering microbiota-root-shoot circuits to improve plant growth and defense against environmental stresses. The project envisions designing synthetic microbial communities to enhance shoot resistance and bridging functional biology with ecology. Additionally, it seeks insights into parallels between microbiota-gut-brain and microbiota-root-shoot systems.

Arbeit, die ab Beginn des Projekts bis zum Ende des durch den Bericht erfassten Berichtszeitraums geleistet wurde, und die wichtigsten bis dahin erzielten Ergebnisse

WP1:
We developed a multi-kingdom synthetic community (SynCom) from Arabidopsis thaliana microbiota.
We created a medium-throughput cultivation system for separating plant shoots and roots.
We conducted leaf transcriptome profiling in response to root exposure to >90 bacteria and their metabolites.

WP2:
We engineered a new fluidic system (MetaFlowTrain) to collect and analyze microbial metabolites.
We demonstrated that microbial metabolites collected via MetaFlowTrain can influence seed germination and root development.
A chemical library of over 400 microbially-derived molecules was compiled for phenotype screening.
We characterized the exometabolic profiles of >90 bacterial strains

WP3:
We designed a leaf SynCom and used hamPCR for microbial load analysis.
Precise microbial inoculation on roots revealed protective effects against foliar pathogens.
RNAseq analysis revealed that root exposure to a bacterial SynCom triggers leaf activation of calcium, glutamate and glutathion prossesses.

WP4:
We developed FalcoPonics and EcoFlow systems for sterile root exudation and microbial interaction studies.
We discovered that root sensing of microbial metabolites can protect distant leaf tissues against a bacterial leaf pathogen.
We identified a host gene idenduced in leaves upon root exposure to bacterial metabolites that confer aboveground protection against a leaf pathogen

WP5:
We assessed microbial consumption and production of glutamate and related compounds.
We used dual reporter lines to study calcium and glutamate signaling dynamics along the root-shoot axis.
We found that SynComs can alleviate glutamate-mediated root growth inhibition.
We identified specific bacterial and fungal strains mediating this effect and we are currently inspecting the underlying mechanism

Fortschritte, die über den aktuellen Stand der Technik hinausgehen und voraussichtliche potenzielle Auswirkungen (einschließlich der bis dato erzielten sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen und weiter gefassten gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen des Projekts)

After 24 months, the most important breakthrough is not only the development of EcoFlow but also the observation that microbial metabolites perceived by roots modulate aboveground resistance to a shoot bacterial pathogen in both Arabidopsis and tomato. We believe that this fluidic ecosystem reconstitution method will promote discovery, unlock new research questions, and move forward our research field.