FERONIA restricts Pseudomonas in the rhizosphere microbiome via regulation of reactive oxygen species

Maintaining microbiome structure is critical for the health of both plants and animals. By re-screening a collection of Arabidopsis mutants affecting root immunity and hormone crosstalk, we identified a FERONIA (FER) receptor kinase mutant (fer-8) with a rhizosphere microbiome enriched in Pseudomonas fluorescens without phylum-level dysbiosis. Using microbiome transplant experiments, we found that the fer-8 microbiome was beneficial. The effect of FER on rhizosphere pseudomonads was largely independent of its immune scaffold function, role in development and jasmonic acid autoimmunity. We found that the fer-8 mutant has reduced basal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in roots and that mutants deficient in NADPH oxidase showed elevated rhizosphere pseudomonads. The addition of RALF23 peptides, a FER ligand, was sufficient to enrich P. fluorescens. This work shows that FER-mediated ROS production regulates levels of beneficial pseudomonads in the rhizosphere microbiome. A genetic screen identifies the versatile membrane receptor protein FERONIA as a key modulator of rhizosphere Pseudomonas and microbiome composition in Arabidopsis, through the control of basal levels of reactive oxygen species production.

Automated summary

The FER receptor kinase mutant fer-8 has an enriched rhizosphere microbiome with Pseudomonas fluorescens, showing that FER-mediated ROS production regulates levels of beneficial pseudomonads. The study identifies FERONIA as a key modulator of rhizosphere Pseudomonas and microbiome composition in Arabidopsis by controlling levels of ROS production.