biostudies-literatureKarasov TLEuropean Research CouncilNIAID NIH HHSUniversity of Utah (U of U)Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)NIGMS NIH HHS2748-2758https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11457713biostudies-literatureUnknown9(10)Plants are colonized by distinct pathogenic and commensal microbiomes across different regions of the globe, but the factors driving their geographic variation are largely unknown. Here, using 16S ribosomal DNA and shotgun sequencing, we characterized the associations of the Arabidopsis thaliana leaf microbiome with host genetics and climate variables from 267 populations in the species' native range across Europe. Comparing the distribution of the 575 major bacterial amplicon variants (phylotypes), we discovered that microbiome composition in A. thaliana segregates along a latitudinal gradient. The latitudinal clines in microbiome composition are predicted by metrics of drought, but also by the spatial genetics of the host. To validate the relative effects of drought and host genotype we Nature microbiologyContinental-scale associations of Arabidopsis thaliana phyllosphere members with host genotype and drought.PMC11457713Startup fundsPATHOCOMT32 AI055434T32 GM141848R35 GM150722LTFHawks ABarragan ACBezrukov ILang PLucke MNeumann MKersten SHabring APathodopsis TeamLatorre SMRabanal FAWaithaka BGonzalez Hernando AExposito-Alonso MYuan WFriedemann CPaul FSrikant TSymeonidi EKarasov TLSchwab RLutz UWeigel DWibowo ATLeventhal LBergelson JShirsekar GRegalado JLundberg DSHildebrandt JMonroe GfalseContinental-scale associations of Arabidopsis thaliana phyllosphere members with host genotype and drought.Plants are colonized by distinct pathogenic and commensal microbiomes across different regions of the globe, but the factors driving their geographic variation are largely unknown. Here, using 16S ribosomal DNA and shotgun sequencing, we characterized the associations of the Arabidopsis thaliana leaf microbiome with host genetics and climate variables from 267 populations in the species' native range across Europe. Comparing the distribution of the 575 major bacterial amplicon variants (phylotypes), we discovered that microbiome composition in A. thaliana segregates along a latitudinal gradient. The latitudinal clines in microbiome composition are predicted by metrics of drought, but also by the spatial genetics of the host. To validate the relative effects of drought and host genotype we 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Oct2026-06-16T03:08:16.831Z2025-04-04T01:14:13.351ZS-EPMC114577133924281610.1038/s41564-024-01773-z