Structure vs. chemistry: Alternate mechanisms for controlling leaf microbiomes.

The analysis of phyllosphere microbiomes traditionally relied on DNA extracted from whole leaves. To investigate the microbial communities on the adaxial (upper) and abaxial (lower) leaf surfaces, swabs were collected from both surfaces of two garden plants, Rhapis excelsa and Cordyline fruticosa. S...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kenny J X Lau, Elena S Gusareva, Irvan Luhung, Balakrishnan N V Premkrishnan, Anthony Wong, Tuang Yeow Poh, Akira Uchida, Elaine L Oliveira, Daniela I Drautz-Moses, Ana Carolina M Junqueira, Stephan C Schuster
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275734
_version_ 1827968469456388096
author Kenny J X Lau
Elena S Gusareva
Irvan Luhung
Balakrishnan N V Premkrishnan
Anthony Wong
Tuang Yeow Poh
Akira Uchida
Elaine L Oliveira
Daniela I Drautz-Moses
Ana Carolina M Junqueira
Stephan C Schuster
author_facet Kenny J X Lau
Elena S Gusareva
Irvan Luhung
Balakrishnan N V Premkrishnan
Anthony Wong
Tuang Yeow Poh
Akira Uchida
Elaine L Oliveira
Daniela I Drautz-Moses
Ana Carolina M Junqueira
Stephan C Schuster
author_sort Kenny J X Lau
collection DOAJ
description The analysis of phyllosphere microbiomes traditionally relied on DNA extracted from whole leaves. To investigate the microbial communities on the adaxial (upper) and abaxial (lower) leaf surfaces, swabs were collected from both surfaces of two garden plants, Rhapis excelsa and Cordyline fruticosa. Samples were collected at noon and midnight and at five different locations to investigate if the phyllosphere microbial communities change with time and location. The abaxial surface of Rhapis excelsa and Cordyline fruticosa had fewer bacteria in contrast to its adaxial counterpart. This observation was consistent between noon and midnight and across five different locations. Our co-occurrence network analysis further showed that bacteria were found almost exclusively on the adaxial surface while only a small group of leaf blotch fungi thrived on the abaxial surface. There are higher densities of stomata on the abaxial surface and these openings are vulnerable ports of entry into the plant host. While one might argue about the settling of dust particles and microorganisms on the adaxial surface, we detected differences in reactive chemical activities and microstructures between the adaxial and abaxial surfaces. Our results further suggest that both plant species deploy different defence strategies to deter invading pathogens on the abaxial surface. We hypothesize that chemical and mechanical defence strategies evolved independently for harnessing and controlling phyllosphere microbiomes. Our findings have also advanced our understanding that the abaxial leaf surface is distinct from the adaxial surface and that the reduced microbial diversity is likely a consequence of plant-microbe interactions.
first_indexed 2024-04-09T18:23:09Z
format Article
id doaj.art-5713cc912bf9475abb1441c28b96df05
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-09T18:23:09Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-5713cc912bf9475abb1441c28b96df052023-04-12T05:32:49ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01183e027573410.1371/journal.pone.0275734Structure vs. chemistry: Alternate mechanisms for controlling leaf microbiomes.Kenny J X LauElena S GusarevaIrvan LuhungBalakrishnan N V PremkrishnanAnthony WongTuang Yeow PohAkira UchidaElaine L OliveiraDaniela I Drautz-MosesAna Carolina M JunqueiraStephan C SchusterThe analysis of phyllosphere microbiomes traditionally relied on DNA extracted from whole leaves. To investigate the microbial communities on the adaxial (upper) and abaxial (lower) leaf surfaces, swabs were collected from both surfaces of two garden plants, Rhapis excelsa and Cordyline fruticosa. Samples were collected at noon and midnight and at five different locations to investigate if the phyllosphere microbial communities change with time and location. The abaxial surface of Rhapis excelsa and Cordyline fruticosa had fewer bacteria in contrast to its adaxial counterpart. This observation was consistent between noon and midnight and across five different locations. Our co-occurrence network analysis further showed that bacteria were found almost exclusively on the adaxial surface while only a small group of leaf blotch fungi thrived on the abaxial surface. There are higher densities of stomata on the abaxial surface and these openings are vulnerable ports of entry into the plant host. While one might argue about the settling of dust particles and microorganisms on the adaxial surface, we detected differences in reactive chemical activities and microstructures between the adaxial and abaxial surfaces. Our results further suggest that both plant species deploy different defence strategies to deter invading pathogens on the abaxial surface. We hypothesize that chemical and mechanical defence strategies evolved independently for harnessing and controlling phyllosphere microbiomes. Our findings have also advanced our understanding that the abaxial leaf surface is distinct from the adaxial surface and that the reduced microbial diversity is likely a consequence of plant-microbe interactions.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275734
spellingShingle Kenny J X Lau
Elena S Gusareva
Irvan Luhung
Balakrishnan N V Premkrishnan
Anthony Wong
Tuang Yeow Poh
Akira Uchida
Elaine L Oliveira
Daniela I Drautz-Moses
Ana Carolina M Junqueira
Stephan C Schuster
Structure vs. chemistry: Alternate mechanisms for controlling leaf microbiomes.
PLoS ONE
title Structure vs. chemistry: Alternate mechanisms for controlling leaf microbiomes.
title_full Structure vs. chemistry: Alternate mechanisms for controlling leaf microbiomes.
title_fullStr Structure vs. chemistry: Alternate mechanisms for controlling leaf microbiomes.
title_full_unstemmed Structure vs. chemistry: Alternate mechanisms for controlling leaf microbiomes.
title_short Structure vs. chemistry: Alternate mechanisms for controlling leaf microbiomes.
title_sort structure vs chemistry alternate mechanisms for controlling leaf microbiomes
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275734
work_keys_str_mv AT kennyjxlau structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT elenasgusareva structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT irvanluhung structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT balakrishnannvpremkrishnan structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT anthonywong structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT tuangyeowpoh structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT akirauchida structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT elaineloliveira structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT danielaidrautzmoses structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT anacarolinamjunqueira structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes
AT stephancschuster structurevschemistryalternatemechanismsforcontrollingleafmicrobiomes