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Updated: Sep 13, 2025
11:16
A Hydroponic Co-cultivation System for Simultaneous and Systematic Analysis of Plant/Microbe Molecular Interactions and Signaling
Published on: July 22, 2017
14.2K
Cross-kingdom RNA communication in plant-bacterial interaction.
Ronald Palermo1, Arne Weiberg1
1Department of Biology, Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg 22607, Germany.
Trends in Genetics : TIG
|July 31, 2025
Summary
Plants send gene-silencing RNA molecules to bacteria, expanding cross-kingdom communication. New research shows both vesicle-bound and free-floating RNAs are active, challenging existing models of plant-bacterial RNA transfer.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Microbiology
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Cross-kingdom RNA communication is a newly recognized biological process.
- Plants are known to transfer RNA molecules to other organisms, including bacteria.
- The mechanisms of RNA secretion and delivery are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biological activity of extracellular RNAs in plant-bacterial interactions.
- To challenge existing models of RNA secretion and delivery.
- To expand the understanding of cross-kingdom RNA communication.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of extracellular vesicular RNAs.
- Analysis of nonvesicular RNAs.
- Assessment of biological activity in plant-bacterial systems.
Main Results:
- Both extracellular vesicular and nonvesicular RNAs were found to be biologically active.
- Evidence suggests RNA molecules can be delivered from plants to bacteria.
- The findings challenge current models of RNA secretion and delivery.
Conclusions:
- Plant-derived extracellular RNAs, both vesicular and nonvesicular, play a role in cross-kingdom communication with bacteria.
- This study expands the known mechanisms of RNA transfer between kingdoms.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the pathways and functions of these RNAs.
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