Genetic bases and ecological significance of plant-microbe interactions in the rhizospere

根际植物-微生物相互作用的遗传基础和生态意义

• 批准号: 0847691
• 负责人: Richard Kesseli
• 金额: $ 69.55万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Boston
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-01 至 2014-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0847691&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Genetic; bases; ecological; significance; plant

Microbes living in the plant rhizosphere, the soil in direct contact with a plant's roots, influence nutrient cycling and availability, the plant's susceptibility to disease, and plant growth. Plant roots, in turn, provide resources that support the microbial community, and produce signals that affect plant-microbial interactions. Currently, little is known about the genes and biochemical pathways in plants that influence the development of specific rhizosphere communities, nor the impact that these communities have on the growth, reproduction and competitive ability of plants. Using Arabidopsis thaliana and an important domesticated species, lettuce, and its wild, weedy progenitor (Lactuca serriola), the investigators will identify key genes in plants that affect the microbial communities in the rhizosphere. Specifically, the project will: 1) characterize the composition, successional patterns and robustness of the microbial communities that establish in the rhizosphere of specific plant genotypes; 2) identify quantitative trait loci and candidate genes in the plants that control the differences in microbial populations associated with roots; 3) examine the impact of these plant-microbe interactions on growth and the competitive abilities of plants. This project will cement a multi-investigator research initiative that will enhance student training and engage faculty in multidisciplinary research and teaching. University of Massachusetts, Boston has a high proportion of low income, under-represented minority and first generation college students, and the investigators are dedicated to their training. Research initiatives developed in this project will be integrated into several active training programs aimed at community college students, secondary school teacher training and enhanced undergraduate research experiences. Project results will advance the understanding of how plant-microbe interactions alter the soil quality and growing conditions of plants, and demonstrate the relevance of rhizosphere ecology to a broad cluster of applied disciplines, from sustainable agriculture to restoration ecology and management of invasive species.

微生物生活在植物根际，即与植物根系直接接触的土壤中，影响养分循环和有效性、植物对疾病的易感性和植物生长。反过来，植物根系提供支持微生物群落的资源，并产生影响植物与微生物相互作用的信号。目前，我们对影响植物根际特定群落发育的基因和生化途径知之甚少，也不清楚这些群落对植物生长、繁殖和竞争能力的影响。利用拟南芥和重要的驯化物种莴苣及其野生杂草祖先莴苣，研究人员将确定影响植物根际微生物群落的关键基因。具体而言，该项目将：1)表征特定植物基因型根际微生物群落的组成、演替模式和稳健性；2)确定植物根系相关微生物种群差异控制的数量性状位点和候选基因；3)研究这些植物-微生物相互作用对植物生长和竞争能力的影响。该项目将巩固一项多研究者研究计划，以加强学生培训，并使教师参与多学科研究和教学。马萨诸塞大学波士顿分校的低收入、未被充分代表的少数族裔和第一代大学生比例很高，调查人员致力于对他们的培训。在这个项目中开发的研究计划将整合到几个针对社区大学生、中学教师培训和增强本科生研究经验的积极培训计划中。项目结果将促进对植物-微生物相互作用如何改变土壤质量和植物生长条件的理解，并证明根际生态学与从可持续农业到恢复生态学和入侵物种管理等广泛应用学科的相关性。