Bidirectional Comparisons Revealed Functional Patterns in Interaction between Salmonella enterica and Plants.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Plant Science
• Food Safety

Background:

• Plants can harbor the human pathogen Salmonella enterica.
• Previous studies on Salmonella-plant interactions used varied experimental conditions, hindering direct comparisons.
• Understanding these interactions is crucial for food safety and agricultural practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate Salmonella enterica-plant interactions under a unified experimental approach.
• To compare the persistence and plant responses to different Salmonella serovars (Typhimurium, Senftenberg) in Arabidopsis, lettuce, and tomato.
• To analyze the transcriptomic responses of both Salmonella and host plants during their interaction.

Main Methods:

• Inoculation of Arabidopsis, lettuce, and tomato with Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium and Senftenberg.
• Assessment of Salmonella persistence and plant symptom development.
• Transcriptome analysis of host plants (tomato, Arabidopsis, lettuce) and Salmonella.
• Comparative analysis of transcriptomic data from different plant species and Salmonella strains.

Main Results:

• Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium demonstrated enhanced persistence across all tested plant species.
• Plant responses varied by species, with upregulation of pathogenesis-related genes observed.
• Tomato exhibited dynamic and specific transcriptomic responses to Salmonella within 24 hours.
• Both plants and Salmonella showed adaptive changes: plants adjusted metabolism, while Salmonella altered cellular biosynthesis and metabolism.

Conclusions:

• Salmonella-plant interactions involve dynamic and species-specific responses from both organisms.
• Consistent Salmonella persistence highlights the need for improved food safety measures.
• This study provides a comparative framework for understanding Salmonella-plant co-adaptation.