The core microbiota across the green lineage

Area of Science:

• Plant-microbe interactions
• Microbiota research
• Ecology

Background:

• Plant health is significantly influenced by associated microbiota.
• Identifying persistent core microbial communities is crucial for understanding plant-microbe relationships.

Approach:

• A meta-analysis of publicly available datasets was performed to explore plant-associated microbiota.
• Intra-specific and interspecific analyses were conducted to identify conserved microbial groups.

Key Points:

• Diverse plant genotypes in similar habitats share common microbial groups, with some being species- or environment-specific.
• Seven bacterial orders are conserved across various photosynthetic organisms, indicating evolutionary conservation of plant-microbe interactions.
• The functions of these core microbiota members and their conservation across hosts require further investigation.

Conclusions:

• A conserved core microbiota exists across diverse plant species and environments.
• Further research into the functions of core microbiota can inform sustainable agriculture and conservation strategies.
• Exploring microbial interactions across kingdoms offers new avenues for understanding plant-microbe symbiosis.