Seedling microbiota engineering using bacterial synthetic community inoculation on seeds

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Plant Science
• Synthetic Biology

Background:

• Synthetic Communities (SynComs) are tools for manipulating plant microbiota to enhance plant health.
• Limited research has explored SynCom application on seeds for microbiota engineering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a simple, effective method for seedling microbiota engineering via SynCom inoculation on seeds.
• To assess the impact of SynComs on seed and seedling microbiota composition, colonization, and subsequent plant-microbe interactions.

Main Methods:

• Inoculation of common bean seeds with diverse SynComs composed of representative bacterial strains.
• Analysis of seed and seedling microbiota composition, community size, and colonization dynamics.
• Investigation of strain abundance and selection effects on colonization success.
• Evaluation of engineered microbiota's influence on seedling and rhizosphere microbiota assembly via priority effects.

Main Results:

• SynCom inoculation successfully modulated seed microbiota composition and size.
• SynComs significantly outcompeted native microbiota, constituting up to 80% of the seedling microbiota.
• Strain abundance on seeds was a key factor for successful colonization; Enterobacteriaceae and Erwiniaceae showed better colonization than Bacillaceae and Microbacteriaceae.
• Engineered microbiota influenced seedling and rhizosphere microbiota assembly through priority effects.

Conclusions:

• Seed inoculation with SynComs is a viable and effective method for engineering plant seedling microbiota.
• This approach provides a powerful tool for studying plant microbiota assembly and its effects on plant fitness.
• The findings highlight the potential of SynComs for agricultural applications aimed at improving plant health.