@article {1866, title = {Alterations of Primary Metabolites in Root Exudates of Intercropped Cajanus cajan{\textendash}Zea mays Modulate the Adaptation and Proteome of Ensifer (Sinorhizobium) fredii NGR234 [Mass Spectrometry - Proteomics Facility]}, journal = {Microbial Ecology}, year = {2021}, month = {08/2021}, pages = {1{\textendash}18}, type = {Journal Article}, abstract = {

Legume-cereal intercropping systems, in the context of diversity, ecological function, and better yield have been widely studied. Such systems enhance nutrient phytoavailability by balancing root-rhizosphere interactions. Root exudates (RE) play an important role in the rhizospheric interactions of plant-plant and/or plant-microbiome interaction. However, the influence of the primary metabolites of RE on plant-rhizobia interactions in a legume-cereal intercrop system is not known. To understand the plant communication with rhizobia, Cajanus cajan-Zea mays intercropped plants and the broad host range legume nodulating Ensifer fredii NGR234 as the model plants and rhizobium used respectively. A metabolomics-based approach revealed a clear separation between intercropped and monocropped RE of the two plants. Intercropped C. cajan showed an increase in the myo-inositol, and proline, while intercropped Z. mays showed enhanced galactose, D-glucopyranoside, and arginine in the RE. Physiological assays of NGR234 with the RE of intercropped C. cajan exhibited a significant enhancement in biofilm formation, while intercropped Z. mays RE accelerated the bacterial growth in the late log phase. Further, using label-free proteomics, we identified a total of 2570 proteins of NGR234 covering 50\% annotated protein sequences upon exposure to Z. mays RE. Furthermore, intercropped Z. mays RE upregulated bacterioferritin comigratory protein (BCP), putative nitroreductase, IlvD, LeuC, D (branched-chain amino acid proteins), and chaperonin proteins GroEL2. Identification offered new insights into the metabolome of the legume-cereal intercrop and proteome of NGR234-Z. mays interactions that underline the new molecular candidates likely to be involved in the fitness of rhizobium in the intercropping system.

}, keywords = {Cajanus cajan Zea mays, Ensifer fredii NGR234, Metabolomics, Proteomics, Root exudates (RE)}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-021-01818-4}, url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00248-021-01818-4}, author = {Vora, Siddhi M and Ankati, Sravani and Patole, Chhaya and Podile, Appa Rao and Archana, G} }