Root exudates protect rhizosphere <i>Pseudomonas</i> from water stress.

ABSTRACT: Arid and semi-arid regions, which account for over 40% of global land area, are affected by fluctuations in temperatures and rainfall. In these environments, plants recruit beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms to mitigate stress and enhance survival. This study investigates the molecular mechanisms by which Pseudomonas synxantha 2-79, a rhizobacterium associated with wheat grown in arid regions, adapts to water stress through its interaction with root exudates. We found that water-stressed wheat root exudates contain elevated levels of choline and glycine betaine, which serve as osmoprotectants for 2-79. Exposure to these exudates upregulated genes involved in the uptake and catabolism of these quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), enhancing the bacterium's ability to cope with osm

SUBMITTER: Bhattacharyya A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12442406 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature