Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0032
S. Compant, C. Vacher
Abstract The plant individual is a holobiont as it hosts diverse microbial assemblages in and on vegetative, reproductive or disseminative organs. All plant compartments - roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds - have been shown to host microorganisms that can influence positively or negatively the plants performance. Some of these microorganisms thrive as endophytes inside plant tissues. Identifying the environmental sources of these microorganisms and the route they take to colonize plant tissues, visualizing their niches within their hosts and understanding how they make intimate associations with plants are of crucial importance in developing biocontrol and biofertilization approaches, both in organic and integrated protection systems. This chapter considers that the plant individual is part of a complex network of biotic interactions influenced by the environment in the phytobiome and provides a comprehensive review on the development of the interactions between plants and beneficial bacterial endophytes.
{"title":"Sources, niches and routes of colonization by beneficial bacterial endophytes.","authors":"S. Compant, C. Vacher","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0032","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 The plant individual is a holobiont as it hosts diverse microbial assemblages in and on vegetative, reproductive or disseminative organs. All plant compartments - roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds - have been shown to host microorganisms that can influence positively or negatively the plants performance. Some of these microorganisms thrive as endophytes inside plant tissues. Identifying the environmental sources of these microorganisms and the route they take to colonize plant tissues, visualizing their niches within their hosts and understanding how they make intimate associations with plants are of crucial importance in developing biocontrol and biofertilization approaches, both in organic and integrated protection systems. This chapter considers that the plant individual is part of a complex network of biotic interactions influenced by the environment in the phytobiome and provides a comprehensive review on the development of the interactions between plants and beneficial bacterial endophytes.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"11 5","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"120873483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0145
W. Ebrahim, S. S. Ebada, P. Proksch
Abstract Endophytic microorganisms constitute a prolific source of bioactive compounds mainly in the field of antineoplastic compounds and anti-infective agents. This chapter provides an overview on bioactive secondary metabolites from endophytes that were reported within the last five years (2013-2018), highlighting their often-unique chemical structures and/or their mechanism(s) of action.
{"title":"Bioprospecting of endophytes.","authors":"W. Ebrahim, S. S. Ebada, P. Proksch","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0145","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 Endophytic microorganisms constitute a prolific source of bioactive compounds mainly in the field of antineoplastic compounds and anti-infective agents. This chapter provides an overview on bioactive secondary metabolites from endophytes that were reported within the last five years (2013-2018), highlighting their often-unique chemical structures and/or their mechanism(s) of action.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"80 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116339251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0109
P. A. Garca-Parisi, M. Omacini
Abstract Symbiotic interactions are very extended in nature and their multiple co-occurrence among plants, fungi and bacteria is highly likely within a community. Thus, a single plant can harbour different strains, species or types of symbionts. Furthermore, at the neighbourhood level, the co-occurrence of grasses and legumes is a frequent event associated with their specific (endophyte, rhizobia) or generalist (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) symbionts. The simultaneous presence of two symbionts may induce additive or interactive effects (i.e. synergisms or antagonisms) both at plant and neighbourhood level. In this chapter, we explore the responses of plants when two symbionts are present within the same host or within neighbouring plants. Here we review studies researching the effects of epichloid endophytes and systemic and asymptomatic fungal symbionts of grasses on colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and their consequences on host plant performance. Also, we explore the current knowledge related to the presence of epichloid endophyte and AMF on the host grass affecting legume-rhizobia interaction, whether coexisting in the neighbourhood or growing after grass dies. Interestingly, endophyte effects go beyond the host and impact on other symbioses, either within the host or established in co-occurring plants in the neighbourhood. Endophytes either increase or impair AMF colonization within the host, and both symbionts can have interactive or additive effects on host performance, depending on the grass, endophyte and AMF species, and on the abiotic and biotic environment. Furthermore, endophyte presence on the host grass can affect different attributes at community level through altering the performance of a neighbouring legume, or one that grows after grass dies. As an outcome, the effects of these specific symbionts can result in potential public benefits for non-host plants through the propagation of interactive effects of several symbionts to the whole symbiosis influence area, the symbiosphere. The benefits give rise to the appearance of agroecosystem processes or services that could favour their sustainability.
{"title":"Interactive effects of co-occurring epichloid endophytes, rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi modulating their benefits to grasses and legumes.","authors":"P. A. Garca-Parisi, M. Omacini","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0109","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 Symbiotic interactions are very extended in nature and their multiple co-occurrence among plants, fungi and bacteria is highly likely within a community. Thus, a single plant can harbour different strains, species or types of symbionts. Furthermore, at the neighbourhood level, the co-occurrence of grasses and legumes is a frequent event associated with their specific (endophyte, rhizobia) or generalist (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) symbionts. The simultaneous presence of two symbionts may induce additive or interactive effects (i.e. synergisms or antagonisms) both at plant and neighbourhood level. In this chapter, we explore the responses of plants when two symbionts are present within the same host or within neighbouring plants. Here we review studies researching the effects of epichloid endophytes and systemic and asymptomatic fungal symbionts of grasses on colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and their consequences on host plant performance. Also, we explore the current knowledge related to the presence of epichloid endophyte and AMF on the host grass affecting legume-rhizobia interaction, whether coexisting in the neighbourhood or growing after grass dies. Interestingly, endophyte effects go beyond the host and impact on other symbioses, either within the host or established in co-occurring plants in the neighbourhood. Endophytes either increase or impair AMF colonization within the host, and both symbionts can have interactive or additive effects on host performance, depending on the grass, endophyte and AMF species, and on the abiotic and biotic environment. Furthermore, endophyte presence on the host grass can affect different attributes at community level through altering the performance of a neighbouring legume, or one that grows after grass dies. As an outcome, the effects of these specific symbionts can result in potential public benefits for non-host plants through the propagation of interactive effects of several symbionts to the whole symbiosis influence area, the symbiosphere. The benefits give rise to the appearance of agroecosystem processes or services that could favour their sustainability.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132516571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0122
A. Schouten
Abstract Plants are effective in defending themselves against herbivores, parasites and pathogens. To accomplish this, they employ various strategies, one of them being the synthesis of antimicrobial and antiherbivory compounds. To reduce the amount of energy spent, such compounds can be efficiently synthesized in multi-enzyme complexes and may have multiple roles in plant life. The synthesis can further be economized when the plant exploits associated microorganisms for the synthesis of these 'plant' compounds. Due to the potential multi-functionality of plant compounds, it is often difficult to establish what their roles are in the plant's physiology and ecology, particularly because these various roles can be quite unrelated. The research on endophytes, their synthetic abilities and their role in the ecology of the plant may, however, shed light on this issue. Indeed, it was found that particular compounds produced by endophytes, which are considered phytohormones, have additional activities, being toxic for nematodes.
{"title":"Saving resources: the exploitation of endophytes by plants for the biosynthesis of multi-functional defence compounds.","authors":"A. Schouten","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0122","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 Plants are effective in defending themselves against herbivores, parasites and pathogens. To accomplish this, they employ various strategies, one of them being the synthesis of antimicrobial and antiherbivory compounds. To reduce the amount of energy spent, such compounds can be efficiently synthesized in multi-enzyme complexes and may have multiple roles in plant life. The synthesis can further be economized when the plant exploits associated microorganisms for the synthesis of these 'plant' compounds. Due to the potential multi-functionality of plant compounds, it is often difficult to establish what their roles are in the plant's physiology and ecology, particularly because these various roles can be quite unrelated. The research on endophytes, their synthetic abilities and their role in the ecology of the plant may, however, shed light on this issue. Indeed, it was found that particular compounds produced by endophytes, which are considered phytohormones, have additional activities, being toxic for nematodes.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122210214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0085
J. Caradus, L. Johnson
Abstract Plants provide a unique ecological niche for diverse communities of fungal endophytes that vary in their impact, positive to negative, on the host plant. Fungal endophytes colonize plants without any visible disease symptoms for at least part of their life history. These symbionts are critical components of natural and semi-natural ecosystems, as well as cultivated agricultural communities, dramatically influencing plant adaptation and evolution. Many temperate grass species are reliant on their mutualistic association with obligate fungal endophytes of the genus Epichloë for a variety of fitness benefits, such as persistence under both invertebrate and vertebrate grazing pressure and improved adaptation to abiotic stresses. In New Zealand, Epichloë endophytes have been estimated to contribute $200 m per year in increased animal production through improved pasture persistence and yield. Other fungal endophytes have also been studied in temperate grasses, although much less is understood about the biological and economic impacts of these plant-fungal interactions. Determining which fungal endophytes are mutualistic has been, and continues to be, a challenge, particularly as we begin to realize that endophytes interact with other endophytes and little is understood about what factors shape endophyte community structures.
{"title":"Improved adaptation of temperate grasses through mutualism with fungal endophytes.","authors":"J. Caradus, L. Johnson","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0085","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 Plants provide a unique ecological niche for diverse communities of fungal endophytes that vary in their impact, positive to negative, on the host plant. Fungal endophytes colonize plants without any visible disease symptoms for at least part of their life history. These symbionts are critical components of natural and semi-natural ecosystems, as well as cultivated agricultural communities, dramatically influencing plant adaptation and evolution. Many temperate grass species are reliant on their mutualistic association with obligate fungal endophytes of the genus Epichloë for a variety of fitness benefits, such as persistence under both invertebrate and vertebrate grazing pressure and improved adaptation to abiotic stresses. In New Zealand, Epichloë endophytes have been estimated to contribute $200 m per year in increased animal production through improved pasture persistence and yield. Other fungal endophytes have also been studied in temperate grasses, although much less is understood about the biological and economic impacts of these plant-fungal interactions. Determining which fungal endophytes are mutualistic has been, and continues to be, a challenge, particularly as we begin to realize that endophytes interact with other endophytes and little is understood about what factors shape endophyte community structures.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125189638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0180
J. Ludwig-Mller
Abstract The interplay between plants and microbes in their contribution of secondary metabolite synthesis is still not well understood. While plant pathogens might contribute by the synthesis of toxic compounds and the host by making antimicrobial compounds, the synthesis of secondary metabolites in the interaction of plants with endophytic organisms might be much more sophisticated. One possibility is that the plant makes antimicrobial compounds that are either sequestered or metabolized by the endophytic organisms. Alternatively, the inhabitant makes compounds that are released into the plant or environment for its own benefit. Such a compound can also be altered biochemically by the host. Finally, the two partners can contribute to one pathway by using an intermediate synthesized by one and later made to another compound by the other partner. Such examples and the implication for future research to identify the organisms mainly responsible for the biosynthetic pathways are discussed in this chapter.
{"title":"Interplay between endophyte and host plant in the synthesis and modification of metabolites.","authors":"J. Ludwig-Mller","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0180","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0180","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 The interplay between plants and microbes in their contribution of secondary metabolite synthesis is still not well understood. While plant pathogens might contribute by the synthesis of toxic compounds and the host by making antimicrobial compounds, the synthesis of secondary metabolites in the interaction of plants with endophytic organisms might be much more sophisticated. One possibility is that the plant makes antimicrobial compounds that are either sequestered or metabolized by the endophytic organisms. Alternatively, the inhabitant makes compounds that are released into the plant or environment for its own benefit. Such a compound can also be altered biochemically by the host. Finally, the two partners can contribute to one pathway by using an intermediate synthesized by one and later made to another compound by the other partner. Such examples and the implication for future research to identify the organisms mainly responsible for the biosynthetic pathways are discussed in this chapter.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126051687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0006
A. Schouten
Abstract Endophytes are set opposite to pathogens and therefore should colonize plants asymptomatically. However, as will be illustrated, endophytic fungi may behave differently under various biotic and abiotic circumstances, in which the host plant can play a defining role as well. The genetic differences between an endophytic fungus and a phylogenetically related pathogenic fungus may vary significantly. Nevertheless, over the years endophytic fungi have frequently been isolated and never elicit disease symptoms in various host plants. Such true endophytes are considered mutually beneficial; the endophyte, embedded in the stable, protective and resource-rich environment of the host plant, supports the host plant to sustain biotic and abiotic stress conditions. The mechanisms by which endophytic fungi protect the host plant against biotic stress factors are generally diverse because they can directly antagonize pests or pathogens, trigger plant defence mechanisms or do both simultaneously.
{"title":"Endophytic fungi: definitions, diversity, distribution and their significance in plant life.","authors":"A. Schouten","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0006","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 Endophytes are set opposite to pathogens and therefore should colonize plants asymptomatically. However, as will be illustrated, endophytic fungi may behave differently under various biotic and abiotic circumstances, in which the host plant can play a defining role as well. The genetic differences between an endophytic fungus and a phylogenetically related pathogenic fungus may vary significantly. Nevertheless, over the years endophytic fungi have frequently been isolated and never elicit disease symptoms in various host plants. Such true endophytes are considered mutually beneficial; the endophyte, embedded in the stable, protective and resource-rich environment of the host plant, supports the host plant to sustain biotic and abiotic stress conditions. The mechanisms by which endophytic fungi protect the host plant against biotic stress factors are generally diverse because they can directly antagonize pests or pathogens, trigger plant defence mechanisms or do both simultaneously.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116547417","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0001
A. Schouten
Abstract This chapter gives an overview on the current knowledge about endophytic fungi and bacteria, their diversity, their relationships with pests and pathogens, their distribution and activities inside the plant and their (potential) applications in developing more sustainable agricultural practices. Furthermore, the identification of chemical constituents synthesized by endophytes or by the endophyte-host plant association is discussed, as they can be most relevant for identifying novel compounds relevant for medicine, such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs, and for agriculture, such as biologically sound pesticides.
{"title":"Introduction.","authors":"A. Schouten","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0001","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 This chapter gives an overview on the current knowledge about endophytic fungi and bacteria, their diversity, their relationships with pests and pathogens, their distribution and activities inside the plant and their (potential) applications in developing more sustainable agricultural practices. Furthermore, the identification of chemical constituents synthesized by endophytes or by the endophyte-host plant association is discussed, as they can be most relevant for identifying novel compounds relevant for medicine, such as antibiotics and anticancer drugs, and for agriculture, such as biologically sound pesticides.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116900927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0164
M. Obermeier, C. Bogota
Abstract The usage of natural products, especially in the treatment of diseases, has a long history. While natural products used to be administered directly, they today serve as lead compounds and structural scaffolds for the development of new drugs and other market products. The success of combinatorial approaches to develop new products strongly depends on natural product-likeness. This exemplifies the importance of natural products as structural leads during product development and demonstrates natural product discovery to be as important as ever. This chapter highlights endophytes as a rich bio-resource for the identification of novel natural compounds and emphasizes functional metagenomics as a promising method to source the endophytic potential. With the majority of microorganisms not readily cultivable under laboratory conditions, a vast amount of natural products synthesized by endophytes remains inaccessible. Functional metagenomics circumvents current cultivation limitations by direct cloning of bacterial community DNA. This procedure is, however, rarely performed exclusively on endophytes. This chapter outlines the procedures underlying this methodology with focus on its application to endophytes.
{"title":"Prospects for biotechnological exploitation of endophytes using functional metagenomics.","authors":"M. Obermeier, C. Bogota","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0164","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0164","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 The usage of natural products, especially in the treatment of diseases, has a long history. While natural products used to be administered directly, they today serve as lead compounds and structural scaffolds for the development of new drugs and other market products. The success of combinatorial approaches to develop new products strongly depends on natural product-likeness. This exemplifies the importance of natural products as structural leads during product development and demonstrates natural product discovery to be as important as ever. This chapter highlights endophytes as a rich bio-resource for the identification of novel natural compounds and emphasizes functional metagenomics as a promising method to source the endophytic potential. With the majority of microorganisms not readily cultivable under laboratory conditions, a vast amount of natural products synthesized by endophytes remains inaccessible. Functional metagenomics circumvents current cultivation limitations by direct cloning of bacterial community DNA. This procedure is, however, rarely performed exclusively on endophytes. This chapter outlines the procedures underlying this methodology with focus on its application to endophytes.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"37 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133370797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 1900-01-01DOI: 10.1079/9781786399427.0042
A. Bergna, T. Cernava, C. Zachow, G. Berg
Abstract Seed endophytes play a crucial role during the entire life cycle of plants due to their ability to promote germination and plant growth and provide defence against biotic and abiotic stress. The increasing interest related to these microorganisms for applications in sustainable agriculture requires the use of a wide spectrum of techniques to investigate their ecological role and to exploit their biotechnological potential. While the isolation of microorganisms is the most straightforward method to characterize and select microorganisms, molecular techniques represent an advantageous option for the discovery and tracking of uncultivable microbial species. This chapter shows that the concomitant employment of cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent techniques represents the most sophisticated approach for the study of endophytic communities. In addition to a general assessment of developments in this field, the most frequently used tools are described in detail. Moreover, their possible integration as shown in various studies targeting seed endophytes is highlighted. We expect that novel products for biotechnology will become more feasible in the future due to the recent technological and methodological developments.
{"title":"Analysing seed endophytes for biotechnology.","authors":"A. Bergna, T. Cernava, C. Zachow, G. Berg","doi":"10.1079/9781786399427.0042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/9781786399427.0042","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract\u0000 Seed endophytes play a crucial role during the entire life cycle of plants due to their ability to promote germination and plant growth and provide defence against biotic and abiotic stress. The increasing interest related to these microorganisms for applications in sustainable agriculture requires the use of a wide spectrum of techniques to investigate their ecological role and to exploit their biotechnological potential. While the isolation of microorganisms is the most straightforward method to characterize and select microorganisms, molecular techniques represent an advantageous option for the discovery and tracking of uncultivable microbial species. This chapter shows that the concomitant employment of cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent techniques represents the most sophisticated approach for the study of endophytic communities. In addition to a general assessment of developments in this field, the most frequently used tools are described in detail. Moreover, their possible integration as shown in various studies targeting seed endophytes is highlighted. We expect that novel products for biotechnology will become more feasible in the future due to the recent technological and methodological developments.","PeriodicalId":149927,"journal":{"name":"Endophyte biotechnology: potential for agriculture and pharmacology","volume":"76 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131951829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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