Prof. Dr. University of Munich Munich, Bayern, Germany
Leguminous plants exert selective force on rhizosphere microbiota, and engage in root nodule symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing symbionts rhizobia through chemical communications. We tested to what extent antibiotic resistance genes contribute to
bacterial
survival in, and successful colonization of the rhizosphere with an initial focus on multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pumps. We performed phylogenetic analysis of MDR pumps in a broad range of rhizobia strains with divergent host range. In addition, we generated bacterial knock-out mutants to investigating the role of MDR pumps in symbiosis. In parallel, we identify toxic compounds in root exudates of selected plant species. Taken together, we aim to elucidate the evolutionary adaptation of the efflux pump arsenal of the microsymbiont to the diversified toxic cocktails of different host plant.
