Phylogenetically diverse endophytic bacteria from desert plants induce transcriptional changes of tissue-specific ion transporters and salinity stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Eida, Abdul Aziz; Alzubaidy, Hanin S.; de Zélicourt, Axel; Synek, Lukáš; Alsharif, Wiam; Lafi, Feras F.; Hirt, Heribert; Saad, Maged M.
• Is Part Of: Plant science. Volume 280(2019)
• Page Start: 228
• Page End: 240
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Plant growth promoting bacteria -- Volatile compound -- Desert bacteria -- Sodium -- Potassium -- Ion transporters; Botany -- Periodicals; Botanique -- Périodiques; 580
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.12.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0168-9452

Abstract

Highlights: Taxonomically diverse bacteria from Jizan desert plants promoted salinity stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana . Bacterial isolates enhanced the shoot and root biomass and induced variable changes in the root system architecture. Plants exhibited common effects of reduced Na + /K + shoot ratios and tissue-specific expression of ion transporters. Lower Na + and higher K + contents in shoots may be a result of increased root expression of HKT1 and SKOR . The isolates displayed different plant growth promoting traits, tolerance to abiotic stresses and colonization abilities. Abstract: Salinity severely hampers crop productivity worldwide and plant growth promoting bacteria could serve as a sustainable solution to improve plant growth under salt stress. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying salt stress tolerance promotion by beneficial bacteria remain unclear. In this work, six bacterial isolates from four different desert plant species were screened for their biochemical plant growth promoting traits and salinity stress tolerance promotion of the unknown host plant Arabidopsis thaliana . Five of the isolates induced variable root phenotypes but could all increase plant shoot and root weight under salinity stress. Inoculation of Arabidopsis with five isolates under salinity stress resulted in tissue-specific transcriptional changes of ion transporters and reduced Na + /K + shoot ratios. The work provides first insights into the possible mechanisms and the commonality by which phylogenetically diverse bacteria from different desert plants induce salinity stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. The bacterial isolates provide new tools for studying abiotic stress tolerance mechanisms in plants and a promising agricultural solution for increasing crop yields in semi-arid regions.