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Gene expression profiling of E scherichia coli in response to interactions with the lettuce rhizosphere
Author(s) -
Hou Z.,
Fink R.C.,
Black E.P.,
Sugawara M.,
Zhang Z.,
DiezGonzalez F.,
Sadowsky M.J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2012.05412.x
Subject(s) - rhizosphere , escherichia coli , biology , biofilm , colonization , bacteria , mutant , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , phyllosphere , confocal laser scanning microscopy , flagellum , gene expression , gene expression profiling , botany , genetics
Aims The objective of this study was to examine transcriptional changes in E scherichia coli when the bacterium was growing in the lettuce rhizoshpere. Methods and Results A combination of microarray analyses, colonization assays and confocal microscopy was used to gain a more complete understanding of bacterial genes involved in the colonization and growth of E . coli K 12 in the lettuce root rhizosphere using a novel hydroponic assay system. After 3 days of interaction with lettuce roots, E . coli genes involved in protein synthesis, stress responses and attachment were up‐regulated. Mutants in curli production ( crl , csgA ) and flagella synthesis ( fliN ) had a reduced capacity to attach to roots as determined by bacterial counts and by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Conclusions This study indicates that E . coli K 12 has the capability to colonize lettuce roots by using attachment genes and can readily adapt to the rhizosphere of lettuce plants. Significance and Impact of the Study Results of this study show curli production and biofilm modulation genes are important for rhizosphere colonization and may provide useful targets to disrupt this process. Further studies using pathogenic strains will provide additional information about lettuce– E . coli interactions.