Bacterial Volatile Isovaleric Acid Triggers Growth Alteration of Arabidopsis Seedlings

Bacterial volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) released from selected soil microbes have been shown to trigger the alteration of plant growth. However, the substances responsible for such bioactivity and the mechanism of how plants interpret and respond to BVOCs remain largely elusive. Here, we established a model bioassay system using Arabidopsis and Bacillus spp. and found that Bacillus BVOCs interfere with the normal growth of Arabidopsis seedlings. Moreover, through a bioassay-guided purification, we identified isovaleric acid (IVA) as a volatile compound that exhibits inhibitory growth activity towards Arabidopsis seedlings. Our data provide novel molecular insights into how short-chain fatty acids released from soil microbes can affect plant growth through interkingdom signals.