Phages as ecosystem engineers of plant microbiomes.
Wang X, Friman VP, Wei Z
Soil Health
Invisible viruses in your garden soil are quietly deciding which bacteria thrive near plant roots — and whether those bacteria protect your tomatoes from disease or work against them.
Plants are surrounded by vast communities of bacteria, some helpful and some harmful. Tiny viruses called phages constantly attack these bacteria, killing some and slipping useful genes into others. This viral activity shifts the balance of who survives in the soil, which in turn shapes whether the bacteria around a plant end up being its allies or its enemies.
Key Findings
Phages regulate plant-associated bacterial communities through direct killing (lysis), not just passive coexistence
Phages can insert auxiliary genes into bacteria via lysogeny, potentially changing bacterial behavior and their relationship with the host plant
The phage-bacteria dynamic ultimately tips the balance between mutualistic (beneficial) and antagonistic (harmful) plant-bacteria interactions
chevron_right Technical Summary
Viruses that infect bacteria (phages) play a surprisingly important role in shaping the communities of microbes living on and around plants, influencing whether those microbes help or harm the plant.
Abstract Preview
Phages modulate plant microbiomes through bacterial lysis and by equipping bacteria with auxiliary genes through lysogeny. In this Forum, we highlight the underappreciated role of phages in plant h...
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