Rare taxa as the major drivers of the secondary metabolite accumulation in Rheum tanguticum

Rare taxa play a role in enhancing metabolism and plant growth. However, the construction and interactions of rare taxa within the soil‒plant continuum of medicinal plants and their impact on secondary metabolite accumulation remain poorly understood. Rheum tanguticum is a unique medicinal plant on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Here, we conducted a study in which soil and plant samples from wild and cultivated R. tanguticum were collected at two sites at varying altitudes, and our focus was on both rare and abundant taxa of fungal communities in various plant compartment niches analyzed through amplicon sequencing.

Our findings revealed that rare taxa in the bulk soil and rhizosphere soil were crucial factors influencing the accumulation of secondary metabolites in the roots. Through our analysis, we identified numerous modules and keystone species from the bulk soil and rhizosphere soil that were closely associated with secondary metabolites, with many of these microbial communities belonging to rare taxa. Some of these keystone species, such as Penicillium, Mortierella, and Preussia, were associated with bioactive metabolites. Our research also revealed the presence of some microorganisms in the petiole and leaf endosphere, which were strongly correlated with root secondary metabolites, predominantly rare taxa. Furthermore, host selection was the primary factor influencing colonization by both abundant and rare taxa. Compared with abundant taxa, rare microbial communities presented narrower niche breadths, greater community dissimilarity, and greater phylogenetic diversity.

Collectively, our study examines the assembly process of both abundant and rare fungal communities along the soil‒plant continuum and highlights the significant contribution of rare taxa to fungal network composition and the promotion of secondary metabolite accumulation, thereby assisting in the scientific management of R. tanguticum fungal communities to support sustainable industry production.