Interspecies competition between Bacillus and Pseudomonas on plants roots

Bacillus and Pseudomonas are ubiquitous bacteria found in the soil and are used as biofungicide in organic agriculture. Their beneficial effects include secretion of volatiles and phytohormones promoting growth and several antibacterial metabolites that suppress phytopathogens. Recently, it has been demonstrated that some Pseudomonas species affect Bacillus growth through the secretion of secondary metabolites, likely decreasing their beneficial effects on plants. Indeed, little is known regarding the resistance mechanism used by Bacillus to defend its ecological niche. To improve our understanding of the chemical exchange between those two species and with the help of the Dr. Traxler lab’s, this project will focus on characterizing the metabolic profile of both bacteria in competition in synthetic and environmental condition with cutting-edge imaging mass spectrometry, a technique that is currently not available in Quebec. This collaboration will allow us to acquire the knowledge necessary to understand the chemical language of both species to optimize the use of Bacillus in the field.

Faculty Supervisor:

Pascale Beauregard

Student:

Partner:

University of California at Berkeley

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

Université de Sherbrooke

Program: