Plant developmental stage drives the assembly and functional adaptability of endophytic microbial communities

IntroductionThe seeds of Amorphophallus muelleri represent a unique category of herbaceous seeds that arise from triploid apomixis. They necessitate an exceptionally protracted maturation phase of 8 months, followed by a dormancy period of 4 months, before they can germinate and give rise to fully f...

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Main Authors: Min Yang, Jindan Wang, Ying Qi, Penghua Gao, Lifang Li, Jianwei Guo, Yongteng Zhao, Jiani Liu, Zebin Chen, Jianrong Zhao, Lei Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1492141/full
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author Min Yang
Jindan Wang
Ying Qi
Penghua Gao
Lifang Li
Jianwei Guo
Yongteng Zhao
Jiani Liu
Zebin Chen
Jianrong Zhao
Lei Yu
author_facet Min Yang
Jindan Wang
Ying Qi
Penghua Gao
Lifang Li
Jianwei Guo
Yongteng Zhao
Jiani Liu
Zebin Chen
Jianrong Zhao
Lei Yu
author_sort Min Yang
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe seeds of Amorphophallus muelleri represent a unique category of herbaceous seeds that arise from triploid apomixis. They necessitate an exceptionally protracted maturation phase of 8 months, followed by a dormancy period of 4 months, before they can germinate and give rise to fully formed new plants. Currently, the connection between endophytic microbial communities in A. muelleri seeds and the host plant’s development is largely unexplored.MethodsHerein, we analyzed the temporal dynamics of the endophytic bacterial and fungal communities from seed germination to seedling establishment (seven stages) through amplicon sequencing.Results and discussionThe results showed that plant developmental stage explained the large variation in endophytic bacterial and fungal communities in A. muelleri and that multiple microbial attributes (e.g., α, β-diversity, community composition, and bacterial and fungal ecological networks) are driven by the developmental state of A. muelleri. Metagenomic analyses further indicated that the four stages after rooting have higher microbial functional diversity. Microbial functional genes involved in cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis, inorganic ion transport and metabolism, and carbon degradation were abundant in A. muelleri seeds from Stage 1 to Stage 3 (before rooting). From Stage 4 to Stage 7 (after rooting), microbial functional genes involved in the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, starch and sucrose metabolism, and energy production and conversion were more abundant. Coincidentally, more abundant Proteobacteria, and Basidiomycota taxa related to carbon degradation were found in stages 1-3, while more Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium and Stenotrophomonas taxa associated with nitrogen cycling and plant growth promotion were observed in stages 4-7. These findings have greatly improved our basic understanding of the assembly and functional adaptability of the endophytic microbiome during A. muelleri plant development and are helpful for the mining, development and utilization of functional microbial resources.
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spelling doaj-art-a2a7f4c1b756478ebfe2bfec07cbe6af2025-08-20T03:05:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-05-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.14921411492141Plant developmental stage drives the assembly and functional adaptability of endophytic microbial communitiesMin YangJindan WangYing QiPenghua GaoLifang LiJianwei GuoYongteng ZhaoJiani LiuZebin ChenJianrong ZhaoLei YuIntroductionThe seeds of Amorphophallus muelleri represent a unique category of herbaceous seeds that arise from triploid apomixis. They necessitate an exceptionally protracted maturation phase of 8 months, followed by a dormancy period of 4 months, before they can germinate and give rise to fully formed new plants. Currently, the connection between endophytic microbial communities in A. muelleri seeds and the host plant’s development is largely unexplored.MethodsHerein, we analyzed the temporal dynamics of the endophytic bacterial and fungal communities from seed germination to seedling establishment (seven stages) through amplicon sequencing.Results and discussionThe results showed that plant developmental stage explained the large variation in endophytic bacterial and fungal communities in A. muelleri and that multiple microbial attributes (e.g., α, β-diversity, community composition, and bacterial and fungal ecological networks) are driven by the developmental state of A. muelleri. Metagenomic analyses further indicated that the four stages after rooting have higher microbial functional diversity. Microbial functional genes involved in cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis, inorganic ion transport and metabolism, and carbon degradation were abundant in A. muelleri seeds from Stage 1 to Stage 3 (before rooting). From Stage 4 to Stage 7 (after rooting), microbial functional genes involved in the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, starch and sucrose metabolism, and energy production and conversion were more abundant. Coincidentally, more abundant Proteobacteria, and Basidiomycota taxa related to carbon degradation were found in stages 1-3, while more Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium and Stenotrophomonas taxa associated with nitrogen cycling and plant growth promotion were observed in stages 4-7. These findings have greatly improved our basic understanding of the assembly and functional adaptability of the endophytic microbiome during A. muelleri plant development and are helpful for the mining, development and utilization of functional microbial resources.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1492141/fullAmorphophallus muelleriseedplant developmental stageendophytic microbial communitiesfunction
spellingShingle Min Yang
Jindan Wang
Ying Qi
Penghua Gao
Lifang Li
Jianwei Guo
Yongteng Zhao
Jiani Liu
Zebin Chen
Jianrong Zhao
Lei Yu
Plant developmental stage drives the assembly and functional adaptability of endophytic microbial communities
Frontiers in Microbiology
Amorphophallus muelleri
seed
plant developmental stage
endophytic microbial communities
function
title Plant developmental stage drives the assembly and functional adaptability of endophytic microbial communities
title_full Plant developmental stage drives the assembly and functional adaptability of endophytic microbial communities
title_fullStr Plant developmental stage drives the assembly and functional adaptability of endophytic microbial communities
title_full_unstemmed Plant developmental stage drives the assembly and functional adaptability of endophytic microbial communities
title_short Plant developmental stage drives the assembly and functional adaptability of endophytic microbial communities
title_sort plant developmental stage drives the assembly and functional adaptability of endophytic microbial communities
topic Amorphophallus muelleri
seed
plant developmental stage
endophytic microbial communities
function
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1492141/full
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