LuxR solos as major proteobacterial players of cell-cell signaling in the plant microbiome

Microbes live as members of a microbial consortium where they interact with neighboring organisms (including their host) via the secretion of signaling molecules and through other types of cell-cell interactions.

The root microbiome is comparable to the ’gut microbiome’ of the plant, important for optimal root growth, nutrition and providing resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. The major mechanisms of microbial plant-recruitment from the soil and formation of microbial communities are unknown.

The practical exploitation of these mechanisms will lead to innovative solutions for a sustainable agriculture, in order to mitigate the upcoming challenge associated with climate change.

Main members of the root microbiome are Proteobacteria, as they account for 50% of the bacterial population, and LUXOM project aims to generate critical insights on their assembly and cell-cell communication mechanisms via a well-defined and targeted approach.

LuxR solos, which evolved from cell-cell signaling quorum sensing systems (QS), are very widespread and exclusively found in proteobacteria. They are a family of transcriptional regulators that respond to endogenous or exogenous (also of plant origin) signals.

The LuxR solos will be studied by genomics, genetics, molecular biology, analytical and molecular chemistry, biochemistry, microbiome analysis and state-of -the-art mass spectrometry based technologies.

The importance of bacterial LuxR solos in the plant (root)-microbiome network will be explored to unravel their influence on plant host physiology and microbial community dynamics.

Understanding cell-cell signaling in the root microbiome will be used to design bacterial communities of interacting plant-beneficial strains that will serve as a probiotic for plants to enhance plant health and sustainable agricultural productivity. Thus, LUXOM will unravel the first major cell-cell signal players for plant (root)microbiome establishment.