{"id":13886,"date":"2025-01-03T10:42:18","date_gmt":"2025-01-03T10:42:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=13886"},"modified":"2025-01-03T10:42:19","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T10:42:19","slug":"princeton-scientists-discover-bacteria-enzyme-that-balances-plant-growth-and-immunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/princeton-scientists-discover-bacteria-enzyme-that-balances-plant-growth-and-immunity\/","title":{"rendered":"Princeton Scientists Discover Bacteria Enzyme That Balances Plant Growth and Immunity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">In a groundbreaking study, Princeton engineers found that specific soil bacteria produce an enzyme capable of balancing plant growth and immunity, opening new avenues for agricultural innovation.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In a remarkable breakthrough that promises to revolutionize agricultural practices, researchers at Princeton University have discovered that certain soil bacteria produce an enzyme capable of balancing plant growth and immune response. This finding, detailed in a report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cell.com\/cell-reports\/fulltext\/S2211-1247(24)01414-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in the journal Cell Reports, offers a novel perspective on the intricate relationship between plants and their microbial companions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study, spearheaded by a multidisciplinary team of Princeton engineers and biologists, revealed that the enzyme produced by harmless or beneficial soil bacteria can modulate a plant\u2019s immune activity. This modulation allows plants to divert more energy towards root growth, which could significantly impact agricultural productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This is trying to get at a really big biological question where there are not good answers \u2014 about how microbiomes interface with host immune systems,&#8221; senior author Jonathan Conway, an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/engineering.princeton.edu\/news\/2025\/01\/02\/these-bacteria-perform-trick-could-keep-plants-healthy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">news release<\/a>. &#8220;It\u2019s a small step in the direction of trying to understand how microbes live on hosts \u2014 either plants or humans or other animals \u2014 all the time and don\u2019t activate our immune responses constantly.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research focused on <em>Arabidopsis thaliana<\/em>, a small flowering plant commonly used in scientific studies. The Princeton team genetically engineered <em>Arabidopsis<\/em> seedlings to have a heightened immune response to a bacterial protein called flagellin, which is known to trigger immunity in hosts ranging from plants to humans. When exposed to flagellin, these seedlings typically exhibit stunted root growth as their resources are siphoned away from development and redirected towards defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, when the team introduced 165 different bacterial species isolated from the roots of soil-grown <em>Arabidopsis<\/em>, they found that 41% of these isolates could suppress the seedling\u2019s stunted growth by reducing immune activity. Notably, one bacterium, <em>Dyella japonica<\/em>, emerged as a prominent facilitator of root growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research then identified an enzyme secreted by <em>D. japonica<\/em> \u2013 a subtilase \u2013 that appears to degrade flagellin, thereby mitigating the immune response and allowing the plants to grow more effectively. Utilizing genetic and biochemical methods, the team confirmed that this subtilase enzyme could indeed break down the immune-triggering segment of flagellin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Samuel Eastman, a co-first author and postdoctoral research associate in Conway\u2019s lab, noted that collaboration was pivotal in advancing the study. Difficulty in purifying the enzyme was resolved after a conference meeting led to assistance from Todd Naumann, a chemist with the USDA\u2019s Agricultural Research Service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Now we can do chemistry with it, and we can actually look at this in vitro,&#8221; Eastman said in the news release. &#8220;We\u2019re able to achieve a level of investigation into this protein that wouldn\u2019t have been possible without that collaboration.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The findings open potential pathways to enhance agricultural practices by leveraging natural soil bacteria to improve plant health and yield. However, the researchers caution that further study is essential to fully understand the implications, especially since reduced immune responses could make plants more susceptible to diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We don\u2019t want to compromise the immune system, but we also want plants to save that immune response for when it matters,&#8221; Eastman added. &#8220;We want them to keep calm and keep growing.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This multifaceted study not only underscores the symbiotic relationship between plants and their microbiomes but also paves the way for innovative strategies to cultivate more resilient crops, balancing growth and defense naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study, co-authored by Eastman, Conway and their collaborators, including postdoctoral research associates Ting Jiang and 2024 Princeton graduate Kaeli Ficco, highlights the potential of soil microbiota in agricultural advancement. Ficco, who is now pursuing her doctorate at Cornell University, played a crucial role in engineering mutant bacterial strains for the study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI really liked how discovery-based the project was,\u201d said Ficco. \u201cThat definitely influenced my trajectory after Princeton.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such pioneering research exemplifies the potential of scientific inquiry to uncover solutions that enhance sustainability and productivity across ecosystems, providing hope for a future where plants and their microbial allies work in harmony for mutual benefit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a remarkable breakthrough that promises to revolutionize agricultural practices, researchers at Princeton University have discovered that certain soil bacteria produce an enzyme capable of balancing plant growth and immune response. This finding, detailed in a report published in the journal Cell Reports, offers a novel perspective on the intricate relationship between plants and their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13886","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sustainability"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"In a remarkable breakthrough that promises to revolutionize agricultural practices, researchers at Princeton University have discovered that certain soil bacteria produce an enzyme capable of balancing plant growth and immune response. This finding, detailed in a report published in the journal Cell Reports, offers a novel perspective on the intricate relationship between plants and their&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13886","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13886"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13886\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13904,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13886\/revisions\/13904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13886"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}