Coordination between microbiota and root endodermis supports plant mineral nutrient homeostasis

Plant roots and animal guts have evolved specialized cell layers to control mineral nutrient homeostasis. These layers must tolerate the resident microbiota while keeping homeostatic integrity. Whether and how the root diffusion barriers in the endodermis, which are critical for the mineral nutrient balance of plants, coordinate with the microbiota is unknown. We demonstrate that genes controlling endodermal function in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana contribute to the plant microbiome assembly. We characterized a regulatory mechanism of endodermal differentiation driven by the microbiota with profound effects on nutrient homeostasis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this mechanism is linked to the microbiota's capacity to repress responses to the phytohormone abscisic acid in the root. Our findings establish the endodermis as a regulatory hub coordinating microbiota assembly and homeostatic mechanisms.

Automated summary

Plant roots and animal guts have evolved specialized cell layers to control mineral nutrient homeostasis, tolerating resident microbiota while keeping integrity. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, genes controlling endodermal function contribute to plant microbiome assembly, driven by a regulatory mechanism of endodermal differentiation with profound effects on nutrient homeostasis. This mechanism is linked to the microbiota's capacity to repress responses to the phytohormone abscisic acid in the root, establishing the endodermis as a regulatory hub coordinating microbiota assembly and homeostatic mechanisms.