Asaf Levy - Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Plants intimately associate with diverse bacteria. Plant-associated bacteria have ostensibly evolved genes that enable them to adapt to plant environments. However, the identities of such genes are mostly unknown, and their functions are poorly characterized.
![Asaf Levy](/waterloo-centre-microbial-research/sites/default/files/uploads/images/asaf_levy_pic.png)
We sequenced 484 genomes of bacterial isolates from roots of Brassicaceae, poplar, and maize. We then compared 3,837 bacterial genomes to identify thousands of plant-associated gene clusters.
Genomes of plant-associated bacteria encode more carbohydrate metabolism functions and fewer mobile elements than related non-plant-associated genomes do.
We experimentally validated candidates from two sets of plant-associated genes: one involved in plant colonization, and the other serving in microbe–microbe competition between plant-associated bacteria. We also identified 64 plant-associated protein domains that potentially mimic plant domains; some are shared with plant-associated fungi and oomycetes.
This work expands the genome-based understanding of plant–microbe interactions and provides potential leads for efficient and sustainable agriculture through microbiome engineering.