Elucidating the Diversity and Potential Function of Nonribosomal Peptide and Polyketide Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in the Root Microbiome
Barak Dror, Zongqiang Wang, Sean F. Brady, Édouard Jurkevitch, Eddie Cytryn
Abstract
We identified distinct secondary-metabolite-encoding genes that are enriched (relative to adjacent bulk soil) and expressed in root ecosystems yet almost completely absent in human gut and aquatic environments. Several of the genes were distantly related to genes encoding antimicrobials and siderophores, and their high sequence variability relative to known sequences suggests that they may encode novel metabolites and may have unique ecological functions. This study demonstrates that plant roots harbor a diverse array of unique secondary-metabolite-encoding genes that are highly enriched and expressed in the root ecosystem. The secondary metabolites encoded by these genes might assist the bacteria that produce them in colonization and persistence in the root environment. To explore this hypothesis, future investigations should assess their potential role in interbacterial and bacterium-plant interactions.