Project description:Endophytic fungi are fungi that live inside the roots of plants. They can promote plant growth through a variety of direct and indirect mechanisms. Direct mechanisms include the production of phytohormones, such as auxin and gibberellins, which can stimulate plant growth. Endophytic fungi can also fix nitrogen, solubilize phosphate, and produce siderophores, which are compounds that chelate iron and make it available to plants. In addition, some endophytic fungi produce antimicrobial metabolites that can protect plants from pests and pathogens. Indirect mechanisms include the induction of systemic resistance, which is a plant's ability to defend itself against pests and pathogens. Endophytic fungi can also help plants to tolerate abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, and heavy metals. In this study, we used a proteomic approach to identify the proteins that are expressed in rice plants after they are treated with endophytic fungi. We found that the treatment with endophytic fungi resulted in the expression of a number of proteins involved in plant growth, stress response, and defense. These results suggest that endophytic fungi can promote plant growth and improve plant resilience to stress.
Project description:We performed RNA-Seq based gene expression analysis of Arabidopsis Col-0 plants grown in presence of SynComCol-0 (eubiotic bacterial community), SynCommfec (dysbiotic bacterial community) and Axenic conditions in GnotoPot plant gnotobiotic growth system. SynCom preparation was done by mixing equal ratio of the each strain measured based on optical density of (OD600) in 10 mM MgCl2 and adjusting to the final combined OD600 of 0.04. Plants were grow in GnotoPots as described in (Chen et al, Nature 2020). We identified genes differentially enriched in response to presence of eubiotic and dysbiotic bacterial communities. Our results suggested that in presence of dysbiotic community there is over abundance of gene expression for immunity/defense-related genes in SynCommfec compared SynComCol-0 colonized plants.
Project description:Endophytic fungi are root-inhabiting fungi that can promote plant growth in a variety of ways. They can directly stimulate plant growth by producing phytohormones, such as auxin and gibberellins. They can also indirectly promote plant growth by helping plants to acquire nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, and by protecting plants from pests and pathogens.In this study, we used a proteomic approach to identify the proteins that are expressed in rice plants after they are treated with endophytic fungi. We found that the treatment with endophytic fungi resulted in the expression of a number of proteins involved in plant growth, nutrient acquisition, and defense. These results suggest that endophytic fungi can promote plant growth and improve plant resilience to stress.
Project description:Under disease stress, activation of defense response in plants often comes with the cost of a reduction in growth and yield, which is referred as the growth-defense trade-off. The microorganisms which can be recruited by plants to mitigate the growth-defense trade-off are of great value in crop breeding. The proteomic, physiological and transcriptional profiling data offer insights into the molecular basis underlying the balancing between defense and growth in endophyte-rice symbiont. The findings provide an example for the endophyte-mediated modulation of growth-defense trade-offs in plants and indicated the promising application of endophytic actinobacterial strains in agriculture to breed “microbe-optimized crops”.
Project description:Background and study aims
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commoncancers among humans worldwide. Recent studies demonstrated that the composition of the bacterial community in the human gut, as well as inflammation occurring in the gut, are some of the factors that modify the risk of an individual to develop CRC. The human gut is home to more than 1000 bacterial species, including health-promoting species and disease-causing species.
The consumption of rice bran, a by-product of rice milling, was previously shown to positively modify bacterial composition in the gut among healthy adults. The protective effect of a long-term rice bran consumption against CRC among individuals known to have higher risk of CRC, such as older individuals who are regular smokers and having a family history of CRC, needs to be established.
This study aims to investigate whether the implementation of a 24-week dietary programme involving rice bran consumption among adults at high risk of CRC is feasible, and whether it has any effect in inducing a health-promoting modification of the bacterial community, as well as a reduction of inflammation, in the gut of these individuals.
Who can participate?
Chinese adults of either gender, who are aged 50 or above and are categorised to be in the high risk CRC group by the Asian-Pacific Colorectal Screening tool, in which classification is based on age, smoking status and family history of CRC.
What does the study involve?
After the recruited subjects were screened for eligibility of study participation and written informed consent had been obtained from them, they were randomly assigned into either Group A or Group B. Participants in Group A were given packets of rice bran and were asked to consume 30 grams of the rice bran at 24-hour intervals for 24 weeks. Participants in Group B were given packets of rice powder that has similar appearance and colour as the rice bran, and were asked to consume 30 grams of the rice powder, also at 24-hour intervals for 24 weeks. All participants were asked to provide a stool sample and blood sample at various time points during the study, namely just before rice bran consumption, as well as 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks after the start of rice bran consumption. Laboratory tests were conducted on these samples. All participants were also instructed to complete a log book, detailing the date and time of rice bran or rice powder intake each day, and the amount consumed. The participants also completed a faecal diary where they documented the frequency of egestion, and the shape and amount of stool egested each day, as well as the occurrence of any abdominal discomfort or pain.
Project description:The experiments were performed to understand the molecular basis of plant growth promotion in rice by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa JGTA-S1, an endophytic yeast from Typha angustifolia.
Project description:The experiments were performed to understand the molecular basis of plant growth promotion in rice by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa JGTA-S1, an endophytic yeast from Typha angustifolia