About this Research Topic
Biofilms are complex communities of bacteria attached to abiotic and biotic surfaces and surrounded by an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). The prevalence and significance of biofilms have been demonstrated in various bacterial habitats with medical, industrial and ecological relevance. Pathogenic or harmful bacterial biofilms cause several problems in clinical and industrial settings, which has drawn lot of attention and has been extensively investigated. On the other hand, bacterial biofilms serving beneficial roles to the host and the environment, although widely present in nature, have not been thoroughly investigated. In the phytopathology field, Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) is frequently found to form micro-colonies or biofilm structures on the surface of plant roots. Studies have suggested that biofilm formation by PGPR, for example Paenibacillus polymyxa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Bacillus subtilis, plays an important role inplant protection. An increasing number of studies suggest that bacterial biological control agents form biofilms on the plant roots, leaves or other positions. By doing so, they increase the colonization and occupy the pathogenic microorganism's infection sites. In addition, the concentration of anti-pathogens compounds is higher in biofilms than in planktonic cells. Taken together, beneficial biofilms of biological control bacteria are important for plant disease protection, which will be useful for organic agriculture in future.
The same idea can be extended to industry, medicine and other fields. Plant associated biofilms also promote bacteria-plant interactions in profound ways. The molecular details are not well understood. Thus, it will be interesting to understand how interactions and communications between bacteria and plant differ when plant-interacting bacteria are in the form of multicellular communities. The proposed research topic is about rhizosphere bacterial community and bacteria-plant interactions, especially emphasizing the role of biofilms during the interactions. This Research Topic focuses on: 1. Gene regulation of rhizosphere bacterial biofilms 2. The underlying mechanisms of biofilms in promoting plant health 3. Application of beneficial bacterial biofilms in rhizosphere 4. Molecular mechanisms of bacteria-plant interactions and communications
The same idea can be extended to industry, medicine and other fields. Plant associated biofilms also promote bacteria-plant interactions in profound ways. The molecular details are not well understood. Thus, it will be interesting to understand how interactions and communications between bacteria and plant differ when plant-interacting bacteria are in the form of multicellular communities. The proposed research topic is about rhizosphere bacterial community and bacteria-plant interactions, especially emphasizing the role of biofilms during the interactions. This Research Topic focuses on: 1. Gene regulation of rhizosphere bacterial biofilms 2. The underlying mechanisms of biofilms in promoting plant health 3. Application of beneficial bacterial biofilms in rhizosphere 4. Molecular mechanisms of bacteria-plant interactions and communications
Keywords: rhizosphere, colonization, plant., beneficial bacteria, biofilm, plant health, gene regulation, application.
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