Advisor Information
Dr. Dhundy Bastola
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
1-3-2019 9:00 AM
End Date
1-3-2019 10:15 AM
Abstract
Plant-associated microbiomes have emerged as a significant influence on host health and development, driving interest into the functional repertoires of constituent organisms and the mechanisms of host selection on resident microbial populations. Research into plant commensal bacteria have largely focused on rhizospheric milieus - the leaf-surface phyllobiome presents a more punishing environment, where microbia are subjected to high levels of UV radiation, low water and nutrient availability, and foliar agricultural chemicals in food crops. To investigate adaptations towards success in this harsh environment, a comparative genomics analysis across a cohort of Novosphingobium species was conducted using public bioinformatics resources and tools. This research identifies several features expected to contribute to dominance in the phyllobiome for Novosphingobium. sp. 'Leaf2', including a novel type IV secretion system, enzymes to degrade plant compounds, and three LuxR 'solo' genes which enable the bacterium to respond to plant small molecules, typically AHLs (N-acyl homoserine lactones). Insight into these functional adaptations shed light on the mechanisms of mutualistic interspecies relationships and may lead to new means and biological agents to promote food safety and plant health.
Life in the Phyllobiome: Functional Adaptations in Novosphingobium sp. ‘Leaf2’, a Leaf-Borne Alphaproteobacteria
Plant-associated microbiomes have emerged as a significant influence on host health and development, driving interest into the functional repertoires of constituent organisms and the mechanisms of host selection on resident microbial populations. Research into plant commensal bacteria have largely focused on rhizospheric milieus - the leaf-surface phyllobiome presents a more punishing environment, where microbia are subjected to high levels of UV radiation, low water and nutrient availability, and foliar agricultural chemicals in food crops. To investigate adaptations towards success in this harsh environment, a comparative genomics analysis across a cohort of Novosphingobium species was conducted using public bioinformatics resources and tools. This research identifies several features expected to contribute to dominance in the phyllobiome for Novosphingobium. sp. 'Leaf2', including a novel type IV secretion system, enzymes to degrade plant compounds, and three LuxR 'solo' genes which enable the bacterium to respond to plant small molecules, typically AHLs (N-acyl homoserine lactones). Insight into these functional adaptations shed light on the mechanisms of mutualistic interspecies relationships and may lead to new means and biological agents to promote food safety and plant health.