Enhanced transport of bacteria along root systems by protists can impact plant health.

ABSTRACT: Soil protists have been shown to contribute to the structure and function of the rhizosphere in a variety of ways. Protists are key contributors to nutrient cycling through the microbial loop, where biomass is digested by protists and otherwise stored nutrients are returned to the environment. Protists have also been shown to feed on plant pathogenic bacteria and alter root microbiomes in ways that may benefit plants. Recently, a mechanism involving bacterial transport, facilitated by protists, has been hypothesized to contribute to the spatial distribution of bacteria in the rhizosphere. Here, we observe the differential abilities of three soil protists: a ciliate (Colpoda sp.), a flagellate (Cercomonas sp.), and a naked amoeba (Acanthamoeba castellanii) to transport

SUBMITTER: Micciulla JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11022564 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature