Project description:Bacillus velezensis strain GH1-13 isolated from a rice paddy soil in Korea has been reported to promote plant growth and inhibit some pathogens. It contains a plasmid pBV71, thought to be of benefit to the strain, but there is no information on its effect. In order to elicit the plasmid effect on gene expression, mRNA and protein levels were analyzed at various stages of bacterial growth. Comparative gene expression profiles between the plasmid-containing and plasmid-free cells revealed that strain GH1-13 activated a transient stress response in the exponential phase. It showed early activation of expression of sigma W operon, liaIHGFSR operon, and transcription regulators for transition state, associated with carbon catabolite repression and secondary metabolite biosynthesis of acetoin, bacillaene, and macrolactin.
Project description:Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been reported to influence plant growth, yield, and nutrient uptake by an array of mechanisms. Uncovering the behavioral dynamics of PGPR is one of the most important issues necessary for understanding their functional performances. In this study, strain NJAU-Z9 which was found to possess complex functions and efficient rhizospheric colonization ability was selected from plenty of bacterial strains isolated randomly from the pepper rhizosphere soil and identified as Bacillus velezensis. Repeated seedling nursing tests performed absolute growth-promoting advantage for the novel isolated strain. After that, primers for the quantitative detection were designed based on its whole genome sequence (WGS), and a real-time PCR method was utilized to explore strategies for monitoring the strain in natural soil and in the pepper rhizosphere. Results showed based on the whole genome, two primers were identified as NJAU-Z9-specific quantitative PCR primers. Two seasonal pot experiments demonstrated that strain NJAU-Z9 effectively colonized the rhizosphere measured by the novel abundance detecting strategy, improved plant growth, and showed a positive correlation between bacterial number and biomass. This study offers a strategy based on a real-time PCR method for directly monitoring B. velezensis strain NJAU-Z9 in the soil and the rhizosphere and provides a reference for the quantitative study of other PGPR strains based on WGSs.
Project description:Bacillus velezensis strain GH1-13 with a native conjugative plasmid (pBV71) is thought to be beneficial to the bacterium, although no information on its effects exists. Here we show that strain GH1-13 frequently lost the plasmid during normal growth conditions in a rich medium and changed the morphology and sensitivity to selenite and tellurite. Compared to the plasmid-cured cells, the wild-type and complemented cells exhibited multicellular behavior with the expression of conjugative type IV pili and regulatory Rap homologous genes that regulate the interconnection between conjugation and biofilm formation. Further omics-based analyses of morphogenesis, biofilm formation, and antibiotic synthesis suggest that the conjugative plasmid activates envelope stress responses in association with increased biosynthesis of extracellular polysaccharide and antibiotics for protective functions of the host during exponential phase.
Project description:The present study aims to evaluate the response of the three Mediterranean local grapevines ‘Garnacha Blanca’, ‘Garnacha Tinta’, and ‘Macabeo’ to treatments with biocontrol products (BPs), a botanical extract (Akivi, Dittrichia viscosa extract) and a beneficial microorganism (Bacillus UdG, Bacillus velezensis). A combination of transcriptomics and metabolomics approaches were chosen in order to study grapevine gene expression and to identify gene marker candidates, as well as, to determine grapevine metabolites differentially concentrated in response to BPs treatments. Grapevine plants were cultivated in greenhouse controlled conditions and submitted to the treatments, and thereafter, leaves were sampled 24h after treatment to conduct gene expression study by RNA-sequencing for ‘Garnacha Blanca’ leaves extract and by RT-qPCR for the three cultivars. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were investigated for both treatments and highly influenced DEGs were selected to be tested in the three cultivars as treatment gene markers. In addition, extraction of leaf components was performed to quantify metabolites such as phytohormones, organic acids, and phenols. Considering all the upregulated and downregulated genes and enhanced metabolites concentrations, the treatments had an effect on jasmonic acid, ethylene, and phenylpropanoids defense pathways. In addition, several DEG markers were identified presenting a stable overexpression after the treatments in the three grapevine cultivars. These gene markers could be used to monitor the activity of the products in field treatments in future research. Further research will be necessary to confirm these first results under field conditions.