Arsenic-induced enhancement of diazotrophic recruitment and nitrogen fixation in Pteris vittata rhizosphere

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 10003 - 14
• Main Authors: Lin, Jiahui, Dai, Hengyi, Yuan, Jing, Tang, Caixian, Ma, Bin, Xu, Jianming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 19.11.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 13/31; 13/62; 14; 45; 45/23; 631/326/2565/2142; 631/326/2565/855; 631/449/2661/2665; 64; Arsenic; Arsenic - metabolism; Arsenic - toxicity; Bioaccumulation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological effects; Ecosystem recovery; Enrichment; Environmental cleanup; Field investigations; Field tests; Heavy metals; Humanities and Social Sciences; Metabolites; Metabolomics; Microfluidics; multidisciplinary; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - metabolism; Nitrogen fixation; Nitrogen Fixation - drug effects; Nitrogenation; Phytoremediation; Plant growth; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Roots - metabolism; Plant Roots - microbiology; Plant stress; Pteris - drug effects; Pteris - growth & development; Pteris - metabolism; Pteris - microbiology; Pteris vittata; Regulatory mechanisms (biology); Resource recovery; Rhizosphere; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Soil pollution; Soil remediation
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54392-x

Heavy metal contamination poses an escalating global challenge to soil ecosystems, with hyperaccumulators playing a crucial role in environmental remediation and resource recovery. The enrichment of diazotrophs and resulting nitrogen accumulation promoted hyperaccumulator growth and facilitated phytoremediation. Nonetheless, the regulatory mechanism of hyperaccumulator biological nitrogen fixation has remained elusive. Here, we report the mechanism by which arsenic regulates biological nitrogen fixation in the arsenic-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata . Field investigations and greenhouse experiments, based on multi-omics approaches, reveal that elevated arsenic stress induces an enrichment of key diazotrophs, enhances plant nitrogen acquisition, and thus improves plant growth. Metabolomic analysis and microfluidic experiments further demonstrate that the upregulation of specific root metabolites plays a crucial role in recruiting key diazotrophic bacteria. These findings highlight the pivotal role of nitrogen-acquisition mechanisms in the arsenic hyperaccumulation of Pteris vittata , and provide valuable insights into the plant stress resistance. Elevated arsenic is found to enhance plant nitrogen acquisition and plant growth of the arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittate . Multi-omics analysis reveals the interaction between root metabolites and key diazotrophs underlying this effect.