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Metabolic signatures of rhizobacteria-induced plant growth promotion
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  • Je-Seung Jeon,
  • Dominika Rybka,
  • Natalia Carreno-Quintero,
  • Ric de Vos,
  • Jos Raaijmakers,
  • Desalegn Etalo
Je-Seung Jeon
Netherlands Institute of Ecology

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Dominika Rybka
Netherlands Institute of Ecology
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Natalia Carreno-Quintero
Netherlands Institute of Ecology
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Ric de Vos
Plant Research International
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Jos Raaijmakers
Netherlands Institute of Ecology
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Desalegn Etalo
Netherlands Institute of Ecology
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Abstract

Various root-colonizing bacterial species can promote plant growth and trigger systemic resistance against aboveground leaf pathogens and herbivore insects. To date, the underlying metabolic signatures of these rhizobacteria-induced plant phenotypes are poorly understood. To identify core metabolic pathways that are targeted by growth-promoting rhizobacteria, we used combinations of three plant species and three rhizobacterial species and interrogated plant shoot chemistry by untargeted metabolomics. A substantial part (50-64%) of the metabolites detected in plant shoot tissue was differentially affected by the rhizobacteria. Among others, the phenylpropanoid pathway was targeted by the rhizobacteria in each of the three plant species. Differential regulation of the various branches of the phenylpropanoid pathways showed an association with either plant growth promotion or growth reduction. Overall, suppression of flavonoid biosynthesis was associated with growth promotion, while growth reduction showed elevated levels of flavonoids. Subsequent assays with twelve Arabidopsis flavonoid biosynthetic mutants revealed that the proanthocyanidin branch plays an essential role in rhizobacteria-mediated growth promotion. Our study also showed that a number of pharmaceutically and nutritionally relevant metabolites in the plant shoot were significantly increased by rhizobacterial treatment, providing new avenues to use rhizobacteria to tilt plant metabolism towards the biosynthesis of valuable natural plant products.
18 Feb 2022Submitted to Plant, Cell & Environment
19 Feb 2022Submission Checks Completed
19 Feb 2022Assigned to Editor
01 Mar 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
24 Mar 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
29 Mar 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
24 Apr 20221st Revision Received
29 Apr 2022Submission Checks Completed
29 Apr 2022Assigned to Editor
02 May 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
14 May 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
16 May 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
21 May 20222nd Revision Received
24 May 2022Submission Checks Completed
24 May 2022Assigned to Editor
22 Jun 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
22 Jun 2022Editorial Decision: Accept
Oct 2022Published in Plant, Cell & Environment volume 45 issue 10 on pages 3086-3099. 10.1111/pce.14385