Coordination between microbiota and root endodermis supports plant mineral nutrient homeostasis

Abstract

Plant roots and animal guts have evolved specialized cells layers to control mineral nutrient homeostasis that must tolerate the resident microbiota while keeping homeostatic integrity. Whether and how the root diffusion barriers in the endodermis, critical for the mineral nutrient balance of plants, coordinates with the microbiota, is unknown. We demonstrate that genes controlling endodermal function in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana contribute to the plant microbiome assembly. We characterize a regulatory mechanism of endodermal differentiation driven by the microbiota with profound effects on nutrient homeostasis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this mechanism is linked to the microbiota’s capacity to repress responses to the phytohormone abscisic acid in the root. Our findings establish the endodermis as a regulatory hub coordinating microbiota assembly and homeostatic mechanisms.