Transcriptomic profiling of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 in response to maize root exudates.
BACKGROUND
Plant root exudates have been shown to play an important role in mediating interactions between plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and their host plants. Most investigations were performed on Gram-negative rhizobacteria, while much less is known about Gram-positive rhizobacteria. To elucidate early responses of PGPR to root exudates, we investigated changes in the transcriptome of a Gram-positive PGPR to plant root exudates.


RESULTS
Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 is a well-studied Gram-positive PGPR. To obtain a comprehensive overview of FZB42 gene expression in response to maize root exudates, microarray experiments were performed. A total of 302 genes representing 8.2% of the FZB42 transcriptome showed significantly altered expression levels in the presence of root exudates. The majority of the genes (261) was up-regulated after incubation of FZB42 with root exudates, whereas only 41 genes were down-regulated. Several groups of the genes which were strongly induced by the root exudates are involved in metabolic pathways relating to nutrient utilization, bacterial chemotaxis and motility, and non-ribosomal synthesis of antimicrobial peptides and polyketides.


CONCLUSIONS
Here we present a transcriptome analysis of the root-colonizing bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 in response to maize root exudates. The 302 genes identified as being differentially transcribed are proposed to be involved in interactions of Gram-positive bacteria with plants.
Institute of Forest Protection, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China.
Ben
B
Fan
Lilia C
LC
Carvalhais
Anke
A
Becker
Dmitri
D
Fedoseyenko
Nicolaus
N
von Wirén
Rainer
R
Borriss
D001407:Bacillus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D059467:Transcriptome; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
D010936:Plant Extracts