Extracellular DNA in the environment: interactions between plant species and microbes

在土壤环境中，植物与微生物之间存在着许多相互作用。 这些相互作用之一涉及植物和其他生物体释放胞外DNA（eDNA）以及土壤微生物对其的利用。 微生物利用eDNA作为营养源或通过自然转化摄取外源DNA作为新的遗传信息。 自然转化是微生物进化的重要机制。 植物在塑造土壤中的微生物群落方面发挥着重要作用，基因工程作物和其他生物的释放为更好地了解环境中eDNA的行为提供了动力。 eDNA可以通过吸附到土壤基质中而在土壤环境中持续存在数年。 吸附的eDNA保留了转化的能力，同时避免降解和用作营养素。 这在很大程度上是在微观世界中确定的，然而，考虑到它们的范围，了解eDNA在农业系统中的动态是相关的。 未来的基因工程作物将包括产生一系列性状的基因，包括药物和胁迫耐受性。 为此，正在进行一系列实地研究和实验室实验，以更好地了解以前没有研究过的一年生和多年生作物中eDNA的发生和持久性。 此外，正在开始研究土壤微生物对eDNA作为营养源的反应，并调查土壤微生物和土壤聚集对土壤环境中eDNA动态的重要性。 这项研究的结果将提高对农业系统中eDNA动态的理解。 了解转基因在农业系统土壤环境中的命运将提高公众对现代食品生产系统的信任。 此外，这项研究的结果可能会导致管理环境中eDNA的方法。

There are many interactions between plants and microbes in the soil environment. One of these interactions involves the release of extracellular DNA (eDNA) by plants and other organisms and its utilization by soil microbes. Microbes use eDNA as a nutrient source or as novel genetic information through uptake of foreign DNA via natural transformation. Natural transformation is an important evolutionary mechanism in microbes. Plants play a significant role in shaping the microbial community in soil and the release of genetically-engineered crops and other organisms has provided the impetus to better understand the behaviour of eDNA in the environment. eDNA can persist in the soil environment for several years by adsorption to the soil matrix. Adsorbed eDNA retains the ability to be transformed while avoiding degradation and use as a nutrient. Much of this has been determined in microcosms, however, given their extent, it is pertinent to understand the dynamics of eDNA within agricultural systems. Future genetically-engineered crops will include genes producing a range of traits including pharmaceuticals and stress tolerance. To this end, a series of field studies and laboratory experiments are being conducted to better understand the occurrence and persistence of eDNA in annual and perennial crops that have not been studied before. In addition, research is being initiated to study the response of soil microbes to eDNA as a nutrient source and to investigate the importance of soil microbes and soil aggregation on the dynamics of eDNA in the soil environment. The outcome of this research will improve the understanding of the dynamics of eDNA in agricultural systems. Knowledge of the fate of transgenes in the soil environment in agricultural systems will improve public trust in modern food production systems. In addition, findings from this research may lead to methods to manage eDNA in the environment.