Abscisic Acid Metabolizing <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. Counteracts Phytopathogenic Effects of Abscisic Acid Producing <i>Botrytis</i> sp. on Sunflower Seedlings

One of the important traits of many plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is the biocontrol of phytopathogens. Some PGPR metabolize phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA); however, the role of this trait in plant–microbe interactions is scarcely understood. Phytopathogenic fungi produce ABA and use...

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Main Authors: Alexander I. Shaposhnikov, Oleg S. Yuzikhin, Tatiana S. Azarova, Edgar A. Sekste, Anna L. Sazanova, Nadezhda A. Vishnevskaya, Vlada Y. Shahnazarova, Polina V. Guro, Miroslav I. Lebedinskii, Vera I. Safronova, Yuri V. Gogolev, Andrey A. Belimov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-08-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2442
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author Alexander I. Shaposhnikov
Oleg S. Yuzikhin
Tatiana S. Azarova
Edgar A. Sekste
Anna L. Sazanova
Nadezhda A. Vishnevskaya
Vlada Y. Shahnazarova
Polina V. Guro
Miroslav I. Lebedinskii
Vera I. Safronova
Yuri V. Gogolev
Andrey A. Belimov
author_facet Alexander I. Shaposhnikov
Oleg S. Yuzikhin
Tatiana S. Azarova
Edgar A. Sekste
Anna L. Sazanova
Nadezhda A. Vishnevskaya
Vlada Y. Shahnazarova
Polina V. Guro
Miroslav I. Lebedinskii
Vera I. Safronova
Yuri V. Gogolev
Andrey A. Belimov
author_sort Alexander I. Shaposhnikov
collection DOAJ
description One of the important traits of many plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is the biocontrol of phytopathogens. Some PGPR metabolize phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA); however, the role of this trait in plant–microbe interactions is scarcely understood. Phytopathogenic fungi produce ABA and use this property as a negative regulator of plant resistance. Therefore, interactions between ABA-producing necrotrophic phytopathogen <i>Botrytis</i> sp. BA3 with ABA-metabolizing rhizobacterium <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. P1Y were studied in a batch culture and in gnotobiotic hydroponics with sunflower seedlings. Rhizobacterium P1Y possessed no antifungal activity against BA3 and metabolized ABA, which was synthesized by BA3 in vitro and in associations with sunflower plants infected with this fungus. Inoculation with BA3 and the application of exogenous ABA increased the root ABA concentration and inhibited root and shoot growth, suggesting the involvement of this phytohormone in the pathogenesis process. Strain P1Y eliminated negative effects of BA3 and exogenous ABA on root ABA concentration and plant growth. Both microorganisms significantly modulated the hormonal status of plants, affecting indole-3-acetic, salicylic, jasmonic and gibberellic acids, as well as cytokinins concentrations in sunflower roots and/or shoots. The hormonal effects were complex and could be due to the production of phytohormones by microorganisms, changes in ABA concentrations and multiple levels of crosstalk in hormone networks regulating plant defense. The results suggest the counteraction of rhizobacteria to ABA-producing phytopathogenic fungi through the metabolism of fungal ABA. This expands our understanding of the mechanisms related to the biocontrol of phytopathogens by PGPR.
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spelling doaj-art-76b5c5bb3b494c52b8911c8b6ef6309b2025-08-20T03:36:32ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-08-011415244210.3390/plants14152442Abscisic Acid Metabolizing <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. Counteracts Phytopathogenic Effects of Abscisic Acid Producing <i>Botrytis</i> sp. on Sunflower SeedlingsAlexander I. Shaposhnikov0Oleg S. Yuzikhin1Tatiana S. Azarova2Edgar A. Sekste3Anna L. Sazanova4Nadezhda A. Vishnevskaya5Vlada Y. Shahnazarova6Polina V. Guro7Miroslav I. Lebedinskii8Vera I. Safronova9Yuri V. Gogolev10Andrey A. Belimov11All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaKazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Federal Research Center “Kazan Scientific Center of the RAS”, Kazan 420111, RussiaAll-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Saint-Petersburg 196608, RussiaOne of the important traits of many plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is the biocontrol of phytopathogens. Some PGPR metabolize phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA); however, the role of this trait in plant–microbe interactions is scarcely understood. Phytopathogenic fungi produce ABA and use this property as a negative regulator of plant resistance. Therefore, interactions between ABA-producing necrotrophic phytopathogen <i>Botrytis</i> sp. BA3 with ABA-metabolizing rhizobacterium <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. P1Y were studied in a batch culture and in gnotobiotic hydroponics with sunflower seedlings. Rhizobacterium P1Y possessed no antifungal activity against BA3 and metabolized ABA, which was synthesized by BA3 in vitro and in associations with sunflower plants infected with this fungus. Inoculation with BA3 and the application of exogenous ABA increased the root ABA concentration and inhibited root and shoot growth, suggesting the involvement of this phytohormone in the pathogenesis process. Strain P1Y eliminated negative effects of BA3 and exogenous ABA on root ABA concentration and plant growth. Both microorganisms significantly modulated the hormonal status of plants, affecting indole-3-acetic, salicylic, jasmonic and gibberellic acids, as well as cytokinins concentrations in sunflower roots and/or shoots. The hormonal effects were complex and could be due to the production of phytohormones by microorganisms, changes in ABA concentrations and multiple levels of crosstalk in hormone networks regulating plant defense. The results suggest the counteraction of rhizobacteria to ABA-producing phytopathogenic fungi through the metabolism of fungal ABA. This expands our understanding of the mechanisms related to the biocontrol of phytopathogens by PGPR.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2442abscisic acidbiocontrol<i>Botrytis</i>phytohormonesPGPRphytopathogens
spellingShingle Alexander I. Shaposhnikov
Oleg S. Yuzikhin
Tatiana S. Azarova
Edgar A. Sekste
Anna L. Sazanova
Nadezhda A. Vishnevskaya
Vlada Y. Shahnazarova
Polina V. Guro
Miroslav I. Lebedinskii
Vera I. Safronova
Yuri V. Gogolev
Andrey A. Belimov
Abscisic Acid Metabolizing <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. Counteracts Phytopathogenic Effects of Abscisic Acid Producing <i>Botrytis</i> sp. on Sunflower Seedlings
Plants
abscisic acid
biocontrol
<i>Botrytis</i>
phytohormones
PGPR
phytopathogens
title Abscisic Acid Metabolizing <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. Counteracts Phytopathogenic Effects of Abscisic Acid Producing <i>Botrytis</i> sp. on Sunflower Seedlings
title_full Abscisic Acid Metabolizing <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. Counteracts Phytopathogenic Effects of Abscisic Acid Producing <i>Botrytis</i> sp. on Sunflower Seedlings
title_fullStr Abscisic Acid Metabolizing <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. Counteracts Phytopathogenic Effects of Abscisic Acid Producing <i>Botrytis</i> sp. on Sunflower Seedlings
title_full_unstemmed Abscisic Acid Metabolizing <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. Counteracts Phytopathogenic Effects of Abscisic Acid Producing <i>Botrytis</i> sp. on Sunflower Seedlings
title_short Abscisic Acid Metabolizing <i>Rhodococcus</i> sp. Counteracts Phytopathogenic Effects of Abscisic Acid Producing <i>Botrytis</i> sp. on Sunflower Seedlings
title_sort abscisic acid metabolizing i rhodococcus i sp counteracts phytopathogenic effects of abscisic acid producing i botrytis i sp on sunflower seedlings
topic abscisic acid
biocontrol
<i>Botrytis</i>
phytohormones
PGPR
phytopathogens
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2442
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