Structural and functional properties of bacterial communities associated with rootless duckweed (Wolffia globosa) and their effect on the Wolffia growth
Abstract Background Rootless duckweed, Wolffia globosa, is emerging as a high-protein and starch biomass resource for various applications. However, the microbiomes and functional properties associated with Wolffia across a wide range of microbial sources remain largely unexamined. This study invest...
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Environmental Microbiome |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-025-00759-6 |
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| author | Yuparat Saimee Kousuke Kuwai Hidehiro Ishizawa Daisuke Inoue Arinthip Thamchaipenet Michihiko Ike |
| author_facet | Yuparat Saimee Kousuke Kuwai Hidehiro Ishizawa Daisuke Inoue Arinthip Thamchaipenet Michihiko Ike |
| author_sort | Yuparat Saimee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Rootless duckweed, Wolffia globosa, is emerging as a high-protein and starch biomass resource for various applications. However, the microbiomes and functional properties associated with Wolffia across a wide range of microbial sources remain largely unexamined. This study investigates the structure and functioning of the Wolffia microbiome and its impact on plant growth. Results A co-cultivation experiment with axenic W. globosa and bacterial communities derived from various sources revealed varied effects, that municipal wastewater-derived bacterial communities had a more pronounced positive effect on growth of W. globosa compared to those from pond water. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing found that Beijerinckiaceae, Caulobacteraceae, Comamonadaceae, Methylophilaceae, Rhizobiaceae, and Sphingomonadaceae were consistently conserved and identified as core taxa in the Wolffia microbiome. Functional profiling indicated that genes related to bacterial colonization and adaptation to the rootless morphology contribute to selective microbiome recruitment, with enriched functions in motility, chemotaxis, flagella assembly, quorum sensing, and ABC transporters. In addition, it was found that Bdellovibrionaceae, Beijerinckiaceae, and Sphingomonadaceae may act as “hub microorganisms” and “keystone taxa,” shaping community structure and directly or indirectly influencing Wolffia growth. Conclusion Collectively, the results of this study unveiled the robust core taxa and functional profiles of the Wolffia microbiome across diverse microbial sources, with certain taxa differing from those in rooted duckweed. This study comprehensively characterizes the Wolffia microbiome and enhances understanding of it, providing insights for developing efficient biomass production systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-58f693f431ae45cb90a7ed05d2afbc19 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2524-6372 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Microbiome |
| spelling | doaj-art-58f693f431ae45cb90a7ed05d2afbc192025-08-20T03:43:34ZengBMCEnvironmental Microbiome2524-63722025-08-0120111610.1186/s40793-025-00759-6Structural and functional properties of bacterial communities associated with rootless duckweed (Wolffia globosa) and their effect on the Wolffia growthYuparat Saimee0Kousuke Kuwai1Hidehiro Ishizawa2Daisuke Inoue3Arinthip Thamchaipenet4Michihiko Ike5Division of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering, The University of OsakaDivision of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering, The University of OsakaDepartment of Applied Chemistry, University of HyogoDivision of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering, The University of OsakaDepartment of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart UniversityDivision of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering, The University of OsakaAbstract Background Rootless duckweed, Wolffia globosa, is emerging as a high-protein and starch biomass resource for various applications. However, the microbiomes and functional properties associated with Wolffia across a wide range of microbial sources remain largely unexamined. This study investigates the structure and functioning of the Wolffia microbiome and its impact on plant growth. Results A co-cultivation experiment with axenic W. globosa and bacterial communities derived from various sources revealed varied effects, that municipal wastewater-derived bacterial communities had a more pronounced positive effect on growth of W. globosa compared to those from pond water. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing found that Beijerinckiaceae, Caulobacteraceae, Comamonadaceae, Methylophilaceae, Rhizobiaceae, and Sphingomonadaceae were consistently conserved and identified as core taxa in the Wolffia microbiome. Functional profiling indicated that genes related to bacterial colonization and adaptation to the rootless morphology contribute to selective microbiome recruitment, with enriched functions in motility, chemotaxis, flagella assembly, quorum sensing, and ABC transporters. In addition, it was found that Bdellovibrionaceae, Beijerinckiaceae, and Sphingomonadaceae may act as “hub microorganisms” and “keystone taxa,” shaping community structure and directly or indirectly influencing Wolffia growth. Conclusion Collectively, the results of this study unveiled the robust core taxa and functional profiles of the Wolffia microbiome across diverse microbial sources, with certain taxa differing from those in rooted duckweed. This study comprehensively characterizes the Wolffia microbiome and enhances understanding of it, providing insights for developing efficient biomass production systems.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-025-00759-6Wolffia growthWolffia microbiomeCore taxaKeystone taxaFunctional characteristics |
| spellingShingle | Yuparat Saimee Kousuke Kuwai Hidehiro Ishizawa Daisuke Inoue Arinthip Thamchaipenet Michihiko Ike Structural and functional properties of bacterial communities associated with rootless duckweed (Wolffia globosa) and their effect on the Wolffia growth Environmental Microbiome Wolffia growth Wolffia microbiome Core taxa Keystone taxa Functional characteristics |
| title | Structural and functional properties of bacterial communities associated with rootless duckweed (Wolffia globosa) and their effect on the Wolffia growth |
| title_full | Structural and functional properties of bacterial communities associated with rootless duckweed (Wolffia globosa) and their effect on the Wolffia growth |
| title_fullStr | Structural and functional properties of bacterial communities associated with rootless duckweed (Wolffia globosa) and their effect on the Wolffia growth |
| title_full_unstemmed | Structural and functional properties of bacterial communities associated with rootless duckweed (Wolffia globosa) and their effect on the Wolffia growth |
| title_short | Structural and functional properties of bacterial communities associated with rootless duckweed (Wolffia globosa) and their effect on the Wolffia growth |
| title_sort | structural and functional properties of bacterial communities associated with rootless duckweed wolffia globosa and their effect on the wolffia growth |
| topic | Wolffia growth Wolffia microbiome Core taxa Keystone taxa Functional characteristics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-025-00759-6 |
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