Leaf microbiota shaped by dose-dependent general non-self response genes
Adaptation to biotic and abiotic stress is crucial for the health of living organisms. In an article published in Nature Plants, Keppler et al. describe how the commensal microbiota triggers plant immune responses that feed back to tune microbial colonization of plants.
Plants exist in close association with a diverse microbiota that substantially impacts their health. Some members of the microbiota might be beneficial, but others might be harmful, requiring plants to perceive and respond appropriately to their encounter.
In a recent study from the Vorholt lab at the Institute of Microbiology, Andreas Keppler and collaborators shed light on the intricate interaction between plants and microbiota members. As a basic adaptation strategy, plants activate a core set of 'general non-self response' (GNSR) genes when sensing members of the leaf microbiota. These genes are part of the plant's immune system and are required for effective resistance against pathogens. Using A. thaliana as a model, the researchers show that plants adjust their immune responses in a dose-dependent manner, with the abundance and duration of exposure to bacteria determining the activation of GNSR genes. Microbiota-responsive GNSR genes, in turn, shape the composition of the leaf microbiota by modulating the colonization of individual strains. This feedback mechanism impacts both non-pathogenic and pathogenic leaf bacteria, contributing to the assembly and maintenance of the plant microbiota and resistance to pathogens.
Link to the paper in external page Nature Plants.