Prof. Dr. Sarah Lebeis (University of Tennessee)

Invited guest speaker at the Biology Center of the Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel

Monday, December 17^th 2018, 16:15

 ZMB
Conference room 4^th floor
Am Botanischen Garten 11

As guest of the CRC 1182

Prof. Dr. Sarah Lebeis

University of Tennessee

Talks about:

“Under Pressure: distinct biotic interactions shape root microbiome”

Abstract:

While soils are an extremely diverse microbial environment, only a select and consistent set of microbial taxa colonize the endophytic compartment (EC) of roots, indicating that transition by microbes from life in the soil to the EC requires passing several levels of selection. Our studies explore microbial activities required for robust colonization and potential selective pressures applied by either the host and established microbiota to gate subsequent root microbiome membership. We use a large collection of bacterial isolates to build a synthetic community composed of a well-defined mixture of bacterial root isolates to inoculate several plant genotypes. Genome comparisons of these bacteria uncovered common activities associated with robust colonizers of the root microbiome. Specifically, we used Streptomyces strains, which are low abundance, but commonly found in many root systems, reveal how their metabolic prowess directs the ability of Streptomyces to colonize Arabidopsis thaliana roots, as well as potentially influence abundance of other members of the root microbiome. In Medicago sativa, we are investigating how the concentration of nutrients provided to plants correlates with the level of colonization of a Pantoea strain. Further, we have also determined the ability of this Pantoea to outcompete other bacterial isolates in a synthetic community in plants grown in varying levels of nitrogen concentration. Together, these studies allow us to begin to define the intersection of plant-microbe, microbe-microbe, and plant-environment interactions to result in community assembly and therefore function.