Plant microbiota controls an alternative root branching regulatory mechanism in plants

Gonin, Mathieu; Salas-González, Isai; Gopaulchan, David; Frene, Juan P.; Roden, Stijn; Van de Poel, Bram; Salt, David E.; Castrillo, Gabriel

Abstract

The establishment of beneficial interactions with microbes has helped plants to modulate root branching plasticity in response to environmental cues. However, how the plant microbiota harmonizes with plant roots to control their branching is unknown. Here, we show that the plant microbiota influences root branching in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We define that the microbiota's ability to control some stages in root branching can be independent of the phytohormone auxin that directs lateral root development under axenic conditions. In addition, we revealed a microbiota-driven mechanism controlling lateral root development that requires the induction of ethylene response pathways. We show that the microbial effects on root branching can be relevant for plant responses to environmental stresses. Thus, we discovered a microbiota-driven regulatory pathway controlling root branching plasticity that could contribute to plant adaptation to different ecosystems.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 1, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Apr 3, 2023
• Publication Date: Apr 11, 2023
• Deposit Date: Apr 12, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 20, 2023
• Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
• Print ISSN: 0027-8424
• Electronic ISSN: 1091-6490
• Publisher: National Academy of Sciences
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 120
• Issue: 15
• Article Number: e2301054120
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2301054120
• Keywords: Multidisciplinary
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/19295855
• Publisher URL: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2301054120