Coercion in the Evolution of Plant-Microbe Communication: A Perspective

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Plants and microbes rely on chemical signals for interkingdom communication.
• Two evolutionary paths for signaling exist: ritualization and sensory manipulation.
• Ritualization assumes signals evolve from mutual benefit, while sensory manipulation proposes evolution from coercive interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the prevalence of coercive interactions in plant-microbe systems.
• To discuss sensory manipulation as an evolutionary pathway for plant-microbe signaling.
• To provide an evolutionary framework for signaling emergence from coercion.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing existing literature on plant-microbe interactions and signaling.
• Analyzing examples of stabilized coercion in plant-microbe systems.
• Developing a theoretical framework for sensory manipulation in this context.

Main Results:

• Microbial coercion of plants via phytohormone release is a key example.
• Plant coercion of microbes through quorum-sensing compound manipulation is another example.
• Coercive interactions provide a plausible evolutionary route for signaling.

Conclusions:

• Sensory manipulation is a significant evolutionary trajectory for plant-microbe signaling.
• Coercive interactions play a crucial role in shaping these communication systems.
• Researchers should consider sensory manipulation when studying plant-microbe signaling evolution.