Bioactive diterpenoids impact the composition of the root-associated microbiome in maize (Zea mays)

Abstract Plants deploy both primary and species-specific, specialized metabolites to communicate with other organisms adapt environmental challenges, including interactions soil-dwelling microbial communities. However, the role of in modulating plant-microbiome often remains elusive. In this study, we report that maize ( Zea mays ) diterpenoid known antifungal bioactivities also influence rhizosphere bacterial Metabolite profiling showed dolabralexins, antibiotic diterpenoids are highly abundant roots some varieties, can be exuded from roots. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing determined community composition mutant Zman2 anther ear 2 ), which is deficient dolabralexins closely related bioactive kauralexin diterpenoids. The microbiome differed significantly wild-type sibling most significant changes observed for Alphaproteobacteria order Sphingomonadales. Metabolomics analyses support these differences attributed deficiency mutant, rather than large-scale metabolome alterations. Together, findings physiological functions beyond chemical defenses, assembly microbiome.