Leaf microbiome in response to sulfur availability in WT and GLS-free mutant plants
The goal of the experiment was to test the hypothesis that glucosinolates are linked to functional recruitment of bacteria int he leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana. We reasoned that sulfur (required for biosynthesis of GLS) should influence microbiome recruitment in GLS-producing plants. Thus, we sequenced the 16S rRNA gene of bacteria in the leaves of A. thaliana NG2 and a GLS-free mutant plant, both grown in variable sulfur levels and tested leaf wash inoculums for growth on GLS as sole C- and N-source. The results provide insight into the role of GLS in functional recruitment of leaf bacteria.