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Investigating gibberellin phytohormone biosynthesis by plant‐associated bacteria
Author(s) -
Peters Reuben J.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.533.67
Subject(s) - gibberellin , rhizobia , bacteria , function (biology) , biology , biosynthesis , symbiosis , plant hormone , plant growth , botany , biochemistry , enzyme , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , genetics
Gibberellins (GAs) are structurally complex diterpenoids that serve as important hormones in plants, with crucial roles in growth and development, but also in modulating defense. Beyond their endogenous production by vascular plants, GAs also are produced by plant‐associated microbes, both fungi and bacteria. We have recently elucidated the biosynthetic pathway by which bacteria produce GA, revealing convergent evolution, yet striking similarities in the underlying (bio)chemical transformations. We are currently engaged in mechanistic studies of the enzymes catalyzing the relevant complex reactions, including structure‐function analyses. In addition, we also are investigating the physiological function of such bacterial phytohormone production and have found two surprisingly distinct roles, which seem to depend on the nature of the plant‐bacteria relationship. In phytopathogens, production of bioactive GA seems to serve to increase virulence. By contrast, symbiotic rhizobia produce only the penultimate precursor, and seem to have co‐evolved with their leguminous host, which catalyze the final step to produce a bioactive GA that then assists symbiosis. Our most recent results will be discussed. Support or Funding Information This work was supported, in part, by grants from the USDA (NIFA‐AFRI‐2014‐67013‐21720) and NSF (CHE‐1609917). This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .