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Bacterial microbiota associated with flower pollen is influenced by pollination type, and shows a high degree of diversity and species‐specificity
Author(s) -
Ambika Manirajan Binoy,
Ratering Stefan,
Rusch Volker,
Schwiertz Andreas,
GeisslerPlaum Rita,
Cardinale Massimiliano,
Schnell Sylvia
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/1462-2920.13524
Subject(s) - biology , pollen , proteobacteria , firmicutes , actinobacteria , botany , phyllosphere , pollination , rhizosphere , bacteria , 16s ribosomal rna , genetics
Summary Diverse microorganisms colonise the different plant‐microhabitats, such as rhizosphere and phyllosphere, and play key roles for the host. However, bacteria associated with pollen are poorly investigated, despite its ecological, commercial and medical relevance. Due to structure and nutritive composition, pollen provides a unique microhabitat. Here the bacterial abundance, community structure, diversity and colonization pattern of birch, rye, rapes and autumn crocus pollens were examined, by using cultivation, high‐throughput sequencing and microscopy. Cultivated bacteria belonged to Proteobacteria , Actinobacteria and Firmicutes , with remarkable differences at species level between pollen species. High‐throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicon libraries showed Proteobacteria as the dominant phylum in all pollen species, followed by Actinobacteria , Acidobacteria and Firmicutes . Both plant species and pollination type significant influenced structure and diversity of the pollen microbiota. The insect‐pollinated species possessed a more similar microbiota in comparison to the wind‐pollinated ones, suggesting a levelling effect by insect vectors. Scanning electron microscopy as well as fluorescent in situ hybridisation coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy (FISH‐CLSM) indicated the tectum surface as the preferred niche of bacterial colonisation. This work is the most comprehensive study of pollen microbiology, and strongly increases our knowledge on one of the less investigated plant‐microhabitats.