Root microbiome assembly of As-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata and its efficacy in arsenic requisition

The assemblage of root-associated microorganisms plays important roles in improving their capability to adapt to environmental stress. Metal(loid) hyperaccumulators exhibit disparate adaptive capability compared to that of non-hyperaccumulators when faced with elevated contents of metal(loid)s. However, knowledge of the assemblage of root microbes of hyperaccumulators and their ecological roles in plant growth is still scarce. The present study used Pteris vittata as a model plant to study the microbial assemblage and its beneficial role in plant growth. We demonstrated that the assemblage of microbes from the associated bulk soil to the root compartment was based on their lifestyles. We used metagenomic analysis and identified that the assembled microbes were primarily involved in root–microbe interactions in P. vittata root. Notably, we identified that the assembled root microbiome played an important role in As requisition, which promoted the fitness and growth of P. vittata. This study provides new insights into the root microbiome and potential valuable knowledge to understand how the root microbiome contributes to the fitness of its host.