Synthetic communities of maize root bacteria interact and redirect benzoxazinoid metabolization.

ABSTRACT: Plant roots are colonized by diverse microbial communities. These communities are shaped by root exudates, including plant-specialized metabolites. Benzoxazinoids are such secreted compounds of maize. Individual microbes differ in their ability to tolerate and metabolize antimicrobial benzoxazinoids. To investigate how these traits combine in a community, we designed two synthetic communities of maize root bacteria that share six common strains and differ in their ability to metabolize benzoxazinoids based on the seventh strain. We exposed both communities to the benzoxazinoid MBOA (6-methoxybenzoxazolin-2(3H)-one) in vitro and found that the metabolizing community did not degrade MBOA to its aminophenoxazinone, as observed for individual strains, but, as a community, they formed th

SUBMITTER: Thoenen L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12483121 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature