Microbial rhodopsins on leaf surfaces of terrestrial plants

Summary The above‐ground surfaces of terrestrial plants, the phyllosphere, comprise the main interface between the terrestrial biosphere and solar radiation. It is estimated to host up to 1026 microbial cells that may intercept part of the photon flux impinging on the leaves. Based on 454‐pyrosequen...

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Published in:Environmental microbiology 2012-01, Vol.14 (1), p.140-146
Main Authors: Atamna-Ismaeel, Nof, Finkel, Omri M., Glaser, Fabian, Sharon, Itai, Schneider, Ron, Post, Anton F., Spudich, John L., von Mering, Christian, Vorholt, Julia A., Iluz, David, Béjà, Oded, Belkin, Shimshon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arabidopsis thaliana
Ecosystem
Glycine max
Light
Metagenome
Oryza sativa
Photosynthesis
Phototrophic Processes
Phylogeny
Plant Leaves - microbiology
Plants - microbiology
Rhodopsins, Microbial - analysis
Tamarix nilotica
Trifolium repens
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Summary:Summary The above‐ground surfaces of terrestrial plants, the phyllosphere, comprise the main interface between the terrestrial biosphere and solar radiation. It is estimated to host up to 1026 microbial cells that may intercept part of the photon flux impinging on the leaves. Based on 454‐pyrosequencing‐generated metagenome data, we report on the existence of diverse microbial rhodopsins in five distinct phyllospheres from tamarisk (Tamarix nilotica), soybean (Glycine max), Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), clover (Trifolium repens) and rice (Oryza sativa). Our findings, for the first time describing microbial rhodopsins from non‐aquatic habitats, point towards the potential coexistence of microbial rhodopsin‐based phototrophy and plant chlorophyll‐based photosynthesis, with the different pigments absorbing non‐overlapping fractions of the light spectrum.
ISSN:1462-2912
1462-2920
DOI:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2011.02554.x