To defend or to attack? Antagonistic interactions between Serratia plymuthica and fungal plant pathogens, a species-specific volatile dialogue

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are involved in microbial interspecies communication and the mode of action various antagonistic interactions. They important for balancing host-microbe interactions provide basis developing biological control strategies to plant pathogens. We studied between bacterial antagonist Serratia plymuthica HRO-C48 three fungal pathogens Rhizoctonia solani, Leptosphaeria maculans Verticillium longisporum . Significant differences growth inhibition by -emitted VOCs pairwise dual culture assays changes transcriptome bacterium volatilomes both interacting partners were observed. Even though rate was variable, confrontation with all fungi changed levels expression genes stress response, biofilm formation, production antimicrobial VOCs. Pairwise microorganisms switched defense (downregulation gene expression) attack (upregulation metabolism followed partner) modes, subject combinations that interacting. In significantly inhibited R. solani while simultaneously boosting its own metabolism; contrast, downregulated when went into a induced L. V. slightly reduced one VOC methyl acetate strong downregulation almost metabolic functions S. Similarly, interaction resulted an insignificant reduction fungus repressed on transcriptional level, accompanied intense volatile dialogue. Overall, our results indicate substantially contribute highly break species-specific their natural antagonists thus deserving increased consideration pathogen control.