Interactions and Coadaptation in Plant Metaorganisms.

Abstract

Plants associate with a wide diversity of microorganisms. Some microorganisms engage in intimate associations with the plant host, collectively forming a metaorganism. Such close coexistence with plants requires specific adaptations that allow microorganisms to overcome plant defenses and inhabit plant tissues during growth and reproduction. New data suggest that the plant immune system has a broader role beyond pathogen recognition and also plays an important role in the community assembly of the associated microorganism. We propose that core microorganisms undergo coadaptation with their plant host, with the plant immune system allowing them to persist and propagate on their host. Microorganisms, which are vertically transmitted from generation to generation via plant seeds, putatively compose highly adapted species with plant-beneficial functions. The extent to which plant domestication has impacted the underlying genetics of plant-microbe associations remains poorly understood. We propose that the ability of domesticated plants to select and maintain advantageous microbial partners may have been affected. In this review, we discuss factors that impact plant metaorganism assembly and function. We underline the importance of microbe-microbe interactions in plant tissues, as they are still poorly studied but may have a great impact on plant health. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Phytopathology Volume 57 is August 26, 2019. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.