Agriculture has intensified the presence of chemical stressors in the rhizosphere—the region surrounding roots where critical plant-microbe interactions occur, such as those between leguminous plants and nitrogen-fixing rhizobial bacteria. Particularly, rhizospheric pesticide exposure can disrupt the efficacy of the plant-rhizobia mutualism and reduce plant productivity. However, it is unknown whether genetic variation in plants (GP), rhizobia (GR), or interactions between them and the pesticide environment (E), i.e., GP or R  ×E, or GP  ×GR  ×E, could mitigate these negative outcomes. We grew two genotypes of the leguminous plant Trifolium pratense in symbiosis with each of eight genetic strains of its rhizobial partner Rhizobium spp. symbiovar trifolii. We exposed symbionts to the contemporary synthetic auxin herbicide dicamba or a control in the rhizosphere, and evaluated the symbiotic interaction and plant growth. Our results provide new evidence that rhizobial genetic variation drives herbicide impacts on mutualism outcomes through GR  × E interactions. Rhizospheric herbicide delayed rhizobial colonization of plants via root nodule formation, but its effects on the number of nodules and fixed nitrogen produced varied depending on rhizobial strain. Similarly, while herbicide exposure reduced plant size on average, the degree of this effect was mediated by rhizobial partner, suggesting that rhizobia could potentially function as an “extended genotype” for defense against herbicide damage. As the use of herbicides, particularly synthetic auxins, continues to escalate, our findings have important implications for how certain rhizobia could be selected to improve plant fitness in the face of these anthropogenically-released chemicals.

Colorectal cancer is often diagnosed at later stages, leading to poor prognosis. Here, the authors utilise analysis of rectal mucus specimens using host and microbial analysis to detect cancer lesions...

Wei et al. reveal how deep-sea corals partner with symbionts in the extreme environment using the hologenome of Bathypathes pseudoalternata. A division of labor shows that the host provides a protecte...

Scientific Reports - Bacteria associated with the cereal leaf beetle act as the insect’s allies in adapting to protease inhibitors, but impair its development in laboratory condition

In this exploratory study, we integrated 16S rRNA profiling with quantitative genetics to examine the gill microbiota of Atlantic salmon during infection with Neoparamoeba perurans, the causative age...

AbstractSummary. Holo-omics is an emerging research area that integrates multi-omic datasets from the host organism and its microbiome to study their inter

Harnessing moss–microbe interactions for metal removal. Schematic representation of aquatic moss Warnstorfia fluitans and its microbial symbionts in the remediation of metal-contaminated waters. Ampl...

Holobionts are complex communities comprising a host and its diverse microbiota. Their intricate relationships are crucial for biological processes like nutrient uptake, immune function, and environme...

Abstract. Including microbiome information in breeding schemes may be helpful to improve the selection response of livestock populations. However, the comp

Understanding holobiont dynamics is essential for unraveling the complex interactions between marine hosts and their microbiota. Sea urchins play pivotal rol...

Understanding holobiont dynamics is essential for unraveling the complex interactions between marine hosts and their microbiota. Sea urchins play pivotal rol...

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Sequencing the genome and microbiome of about 1,500 tick samples from regions across China revealed host–microbe associations in ticks that could have implications for controlling ticks and tick-borne diseases.

Scientific Reports - Thermal extremes likely trigger metabolic imbalance in coral holobionts

Abstract. The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time, yet the role of microorganisms remains underrecognized in climate science and p

Fungi in the gut microbiome (the "mycobiome") are a neglected component of the human holobiont. This study of gut fungal profiles across natural populations of humans and non-human primates reveals si...