Hansen, M. L. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2021

Identification and differentiation of Pseudomonas species in field samples using an rpoD amplicon sequencing methodology

Species of the genus Pseudomonas are used for several biotechnological purposes, including plant biocontrol and bioremediation. To exploit the Pseudomonas genus in environmental, agricultural or industrial settings, the organisms must be profiled at species level as their bioactivity potential differs markedly between species. Standard 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiling does not allow for accurate species differentiation. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop an amplicon-based high-resolution method targeting a 760 nt region of the rpoD gene enabling taxonomic differentiation of Pseudomonas species in soil samples. The method was benchmarked on a sixteen membered Pseudomonas species mock community. All 16 species were correctly and semi-quantitatively identified using rpoD gene amplicons, whereas 16S rRNA V3V4 amplicon sequencing only correctly identified one species. We analysed the Pseudomonas profile in thirteen soil samples in northern Zealand, Denmark, where samples were collected from grassland (3 samples) and agriculture soil (10 samples). Pseudomonas species represented up to 0.7% of the microbial community, of which each sampling site contained a unique Pseudomonas composition. Thirty culturable Pseudomonas strains were isolated from each grassland site and ten from each agriculture site and identified by Sanger sequencing of the rpoD gene. In all cases, the rpoD-amplicon approach identified more species than found by cultivation, including hard-to-culture non-fluorescent pseudomonads, as well as more than found by 16S rRNA V3V4 amplicon sequencing. Thus, rpoD profiling can be used for species profiling of Pseudomonas, and large scale prospecting of bioactive Pseudomonas may be guided by initial screening using this method. ImportanceA high throughput sequence-based method for profiling of Pseudomonas species in soil microbiomes was developed and identified more species than 16S rRNA gene sequencing or cultivation. Pseudomonas species are used as biocontrol organisms and plant-growth promoting agents, and the method will allow tracing of specific species of Pseudomonas as well as enable screening of environmental samples for further isolation and exploitation.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2020

Development of a whole cell biosensor for detection of 2, 4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG) producing bacteria from grassland soil

Fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. producing the antibiotic 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG) are ecologically important in the rhizosphere as they can control phytopathogens and contribute to disease suppressiveness. While studies of DAPG-producing Pseudomonas have predominantly focused on rhizosphere niches, the ecological role of DAPG as well as the distribution and dynamics of DAPG-producing bacteria remains less well understood for other environments such as bulk soil and grassland, where the level of DAPG producers are predicted to be low. Here, we construct a whole cell biosensor for detection of DAPG and DAPG-producing bacteria from environmental samples. We show that the sensor is highly specific towards DAPG, with a sensitivity in the low nanomolar range (<20 nm). This sensitivity is comparable to the DAPG levels identified in rhizosphere samples by chemical analysis. The biosensor enables guided isolation of DAPG-producing Pseudomonas. Using the biosensor, we probed the same grassland soil sampling site to isolate genetically related DAPG-producing Pseudomonas kilonensis strains over a period of 12 months. Next, we used the biosensor to determine the frequency of DAPG-producing Pseudomonads within three different grassland soil sites and show that DAPG producers can constitute part of the Pseudomonas population in the range of 0.35-17% at these sites. Finally, we show that the biosensor enables detection of DAPG produced by non-Pseudomonas species. Our studies show that a whole-cell biosensor for DAPG detection can facilitate isolation of bacteria that produce this important secondary metabolite and provide insight into the population dynamics of DAPG producers in natural grassland soil. IMPORTANCEThe interest has grown for bacterial biocontrol agents as biosustainable alternatives to pesticides to increase crop yields. Currently, we have a broad knowledge of antimicrobial compounds, such as DAPG, produced by bacteria growing in the rhizosphere surrounding plant roots. However, compared to the rhizosphere niches, the ecological role of DAPG as well as the distribution and dynamics of DAPG-producing bacteria remains less well understood for other environments such as bulk and grassland soil. Currently, we are restricted to chemical methods with detection limits and time-consuming PCR-based and probe-hybridization approaches to detect DAPG and its respective producer. In this study, we have developed a whole-cell biosensor, which can circumvent the labor-intensive screening process, as well as increase the sensitivity at which DAPG is detected. This enables quantification of relative amounts of DAPG-producers, which in turn increases our understanding of the dynamics and ecology of these producers in natural soil environments.

microbiology↗