title: Is the plant-associated microbiota of Thymus spp. adapted to plant essential oil?
abstract: We examined whether the microbiota of two related aromatic thyme species, Thymus vulgaris and Thymus citriodorus, differs in relation to the composition of the respective essential oil (EO). A total of 576 bacterial isolates were obtained from three districts (leaves, roots and rhizospheric soil). They were taxonomically characterized and inspected for tolerance to the EO from the two thyme species. A district-related taxonomic pattern was found. In particular, high taxonomic diversity among the isolates from leaves was detected. Moreover, data obtained revealed a differential pattern of resistance of the isolates to EOs extracted from T. vulgaris and T. citriodorus, which was interpreted in terms of differing chemical composition of the EO of their respective host plants. In conclusion, we suggest that bacterial colonization of leaves in Thymus spp. is influenced by the EO present in leaf glandular tissue as one of the selective forces shaping endophytic community composition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Checcucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maida
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bacci
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ninno
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry Ugo Schiff, University of Florence, Via Ugo Schiff 6, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bilia
authors.affiliation: Il giardino delle Erbe, "Augusto Rinaldi Ceroni", Casola Valsenio, Ravenna, Italy.
authors.forename: Sauro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biffi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Integrative Medicine, Careggi University Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Firenzuoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno Pisano 6, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flamini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy.
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence 50019, Italy. Electronic address: alessio.mengoni@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mengoni
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000187:drug effects; D060026:Endophytes / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D064307:Microbiota / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D012987:Soil; D046930:Thymus Plant / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D012987:Soil
keywords: Adaptation; Bacterial endophytes; Essential oil; Medicinal plants; Plant microbiota; Thymus