Streptomyces lividans inhibits the proliferation of the fungus Verticillium dahliae on seeds and roots of Arabidopsis thaliana

Verticillium wilt, a vascular disease in more than 200 dicotyledonous plants, is due to the ascomycete fungus Verticillium dahliae. As documented by video-microscopy, the soil bacterium Streptomyces lividans strongly reduces the germination of V. dahliae conidia, and the subsequent growth of hyphae. Quantification by the use of DNA-intercalating dyes and Calcofluor-staining revealed that during prolonged co-cultivation, bacterial hyphae proliferate to a dense network, provoke a poor development of V. dahliae vegetative hyphae and lead to an enormous reduction of conidia and microsclerotia. Upon individual application to seeds of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, either the bacterial spores or the fungal conidia germinate at or within the mucilage, including its volcano-shaped structures. The extension of hyphae from each individual strain correlates with the reduction of the pectin-containing mucilage-layer. Proliferating hyphae then spread to roots of the emerging seedlings. Plants, which arise in the presence of V. dahliae within agar or soil, have damaged root cells, an atrophied stem and root, as well as poorly developed leaves with chlorosis symptoms. In contrast, S. lividans hyphae settle in bunches preferentially at the outer layer near tips and alongside roots. Resulting plants have a healthy appearance including an intact root system. Arabidopsis thaliana seeds, which are co-inoculated with V. dahliae and S. lividans, have preferentially proliferating bacterial hyphae within the mucilage, and at roots of the outgrowing seedlings. As a result, plants have considerably reduced disease symptoms. As spores of the beneficial S. lividans strain are obtainable in large quantity, its application is highly attractive.