PSLA Seminar Series: Quan Zeng
Quorum Sensing Mediated Bacterial Interspecies Communication in Soybean Rhizosphere
Rhizosphere harbors a diverse group of microbes including bacteria belonging to different species. These diverse bacteria co-colonize in the same ecological niche, prom the questions whether bacteria of different species communicate with each other and its impact to the plant. Quorum sensing (QS) is an important communication method in bacteria. Most previous research on QS focused on its function in communication within a single species and there is a knowledge gap whether bacteria belonging to different species can communicate through QS. Using shotgun metagenomics and liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry analysis (LC-HRMS), we identified key QS genes and signaling molecules within soybean rhizosphere, the abundance of which is much than that in the bulk soil. LC-HRMS analysis and genome sequencing of individual bacterial strains isolated from the soybean rhizosphere identified a group of QS synthases, receptors, and acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules that are shared among bacteria belonging to different species, and unique ones present at strain levels. Finally, we provided an example that C6, C8 and C14-AHLs secreted by an AHL producing Pseudomonas LFS074 can be sensed by a AHL non-producer Bacillus during co-inoculation and induce phosphate solubilization and siderophore production of Bacillus LFS077. Findings from this study highlight QS is an important interspecies communication method in plant rhizosphere which may have important implications in microbiome manipulations for enhanced plant growth and fitness.
For more information, contact: Huanzhong Wang at huanzhong.wang@uconn.edu