Investigating how plants recruit antibiotic-producing Streptomyces bacteria to protect themselves against disease
Lead Research Organisation:
University of East Anglia
Department Name: Biological Sciences
Abstract
Humans have been using antibiotics to treat disease for less than 100 years but their use in nature stretches back for tens of millions of years. Most of the antibiotics we use are made by a group of common soil bacteria called Streptomyces and plants and insects started using them long before humans. Plants including the model Arabidopsis thaliana and important food crops like wheat, potato and rice, all have Streptomyces living inside their roots. Indeed, several recent high profile papers have shown that Streptomyces bacteria are enriched in the rhizosphere (the soil coating the roots) and even more greatly enriched inside the roots of Arabidopsis compared to the surrounding soil. Research published in Science in August 2015 suggests that Streptomyces bacteria are specifically attracted by salicylic acid (SA) that is produced by the plants as part of their general stress response. The suggestion is that Streptomyces (but not all bacteria) can use SA as a food source and thus the plants can specifically select bacteria that are useful to them out of the trillions of bacteria present in the soil. The antibiotics made by these Streptomyces strains are thought to protect the plant roots against fungal infection. In this project we will use Arabidopsis as a model to test (1) if Streptomyces bacteria in the rhizosphere and roots are really using plant-produced SA as food, (2) if any and all Streptomyces strains can live inside plant roots, (3) if SA metabolism is essential for root colonisation by Streptomyces and (4) if Streptomyces-produced antifungals do indeed protect the plants against fungal infection. Ultimately this work will lay the foundation for engineering improved Streptomyces strains for use in agriculture and thus contribute to global food security.
Organisations
Publications
Newitt JT
(2019)
Biocontrol of Cereal Crop Diseases Using Streptomycetes.
in Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
Worsley S
(2019)
Streptomyces endophytes promote the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BB/M011216/1 | 30/09/2015 | 31/03/2024 | |||
1799823 | Studentship | BB/M011216/1 | 30/09/2016 | 29/09/2020 | Jake Newitt |
Description | I have discovered a potential signal involved in plant root colonisation by Streptomyces coelicolor. |
Exploitation Route | This finding could potentially be used by agricultural technology companies, to engineer biocontrol agents that colonise plants better. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
Description | FEMS conference registration grant |
Amount | £45 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MMEG18ECM2 |
Organisation | Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2018 |
End | 12/2018 |
Description | MMEG Travel Award |
Amount | £85 (GBP) |
Organisation | Society for Applied Microbiology |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2019 |
End | 12/2019 |
Description | Microbiology Society Travel Grant 2017 |
Amount | £650 (GBP) |
Funding ID | TG17/39 |
Organisation | Microbiology Society |
Sector | Learned Society |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2017 |
End | 06/2017 |
Description | Society conference grant 2019 |
Amount | £245 (GBP) |
Funding ID | GA001266 |
Organisation | Microbiology Society |
Sector | Learned Society |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2019 |
End | 04/2019 |
Description | SAW trust workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | SAW trust deliver workshops to primary schools that combine science, art and writing. I have volunteered at several workshops, as well as designed and led a full science session. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018,2019 |
Description | Science festival stand |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Our lab had a pop-up stand with various different activities, demonstrating the issues surrounding antimicrobial resistance and natural product discovery. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |