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Medicinal Plant Microbiomes: Factors Affecting Bacterial and Fungal Community Composition
Daniel Zagal1, James G Graham1, Jonathan Bisson1
1Pharmacognosy Institute and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Planta Medica
|October 24, 2024
Summary
Microbial communities in medicinal plants like Actaea and Rhodiola are shaped by plant type, location within the plant, and geographic distance. This whole-microbiome approach reveals key factors influencing plant-associated microbes.
Area of Science:
- Microbial ecology
- Plant science
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Medicinal plants harbor diverse microbial communities.
- Understanding these plant-microbe interactions is crucial for natural product discovery.
- A whole-microbiome approach offers insights into these complex relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors influencing microbial communities in medicinal plants.
- To investigate the roles of host-plant taxonomy, plant compartments, and geographic distance.
- To explore microbial diversity in *Actaea* and *Rhodiola* species.
Main Methods:
- Whole-microbiome analysis using amplicon sequencing.
- Characterization of fungal and bacterial assemblages.
- Sampling of endophytic and epiphytic microbes from *Actaea racemosa*, *Rhodiola rosea*, *Actaea rubra*, and *Rhodiola integrifolia*.
Main Results:
- Host-plant taxonomy, plant compartmentalization, and microhabitat heterogeneity explained ~60% of microbial variance.
- Bacterial populations were more diverse than fungal populations.
- Epiphytic microbial density was higher than endophytic density.
Conclusions:
- Plant taxonomy, location, and distance are key drivers of plant-associated microbial communities.
- Bacterial diversity and epiphytic density are significant findings.
- A whole-microbiome approach is valuable for botanical and natural product research.
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