Response of Arabidopsis to bacterial presence under iron stress

Abstract

Iron availability is essential for the normal function of plants, but it becomes less available for uptake under drought. A lack of iron can lead to early senescence, fewer and less nutritious crops, and in extreme cases, plant death. In response to these stressful conditions, microbial interactions can lead to improved plant health, however the mechanism by which this occurs is not understood. In this study we cocultured an Arabidopsis MTP8 knockout line, which is susceptible to iron stress, as well as a subset of a previously established synthetic microbial community derived from healthy Arabidopsis roots. We cocultured the Arabidopsis lines and bacteria under three different iron levels in a hydroponics system and measured the dry weight and chlorophyll content ten days post inoculation. This study aims to narrow the potential mechanism of the beneficial effects of bacteria on plants experiencing nutrient stress.