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In situ control of root-bacteria interactions using optical trapping in transparent soil
Sisi Ge1, Xingshui Dong1,2, Yangminghao Liu3
1School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK.
Journal of Experimental Botany
|November 2, 2022
Summary
Optical trapping precisely guides plant pathogen bacteria to roots, overcoming observation challenges. This method quantifies bacterial attachment and detachment rates, advancing rhizosphere biofilm research.
Area of Science:
- Plant pathology
- Microbial ecology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Bacterial attachment to plant roots is crucial for pathogen colonization and infection.
- Observing bacterial attachment in situ is challenging, limiting understanding of plant-microbe interactions.
- Transparent soil and advanced imaging techniques are needed to study these processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the utility of optical trapping for observing and manipulating bacterial attachment to plant roots.
- To quantify bacterial cell detachment rates from root surfaces.
Main Methods:
- Development of a counter-propagating optical trapping system.
- Guiding Pectobacterium atrosepticum (Pba) cells to various root cell types in transparent soils.
- Quantification of Pba cell detachment rates after reversible attachment.
Main Results:
- Successful trapping and guided delivery of Pba cells to root hairs, epidermal cells, border cells, and laser-ablated tissues.
- Demonstration of optical trapping's capability to study bacterial attachment dynamics.
- Quantification of bacterial cell detachment rates.
Conclusions:
- Optical trapping offers a novel approach to overcome limitations in observing bacterial attachment to plant roots.
- This technique can enhance the deterministic characterization of attachment mechanisms and biofilm formation in the rhizosphere.
- Further application of optical trapping can deepen our understanding of plant-pathogen interactions.
