Bacteria send messages to colonize plant roots

Begin with rice seedlings pre-germinated under dark, aseptic conditions to ensure uniform sprouting.Transfer these seedlings to a flask containing a nutrient-rich, semi-solid medium pre-inoculated with a test bacterium.As the plant grows, the roots release chemotactic compounds into the surrounding medium.These compounds stimulate bacterial proliferation, leading to adhesion, multiplication, and colony formation on the root surface.As the roots develop, the bacteria enter the plant through...

Source: Yi, Y., et al. Plant-Microbe Interaction: Transcriptional Response of Bacillus Mycoides to Potato Root Exudates. J. Vis. Exp. (2018)This video demonstrates the preparation and treatment of Bacillus mycoides cultures to study plant-microbe interactions. It outlines the steps from streaking a stock culture and incubating it in liquid medium to exposing the bacteria to plant root exudates under agitation. The process culminates in harvesting and flash-freezing the bacterial cells for...

Here we describe a hydroponic plant growth assay to quantify species presence and visualize the spatial distribution of bacteria during initial colonization of plant roots and after their transfer into different growth...

Colonization of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in the rhizosphere is essential for its growth-promoting effect. It is necessary to standardize the method of detection of bacterial rhizosphere colonization. Here, we describe a reproducible method for quantifying bacterial colonization on the root...

Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.

An easy method for measuring and characterizing bacterial adhesion to plants, particularly roots and sprouts, is described in this...