Bacterial root endophytes to protect plants against cold temperatures

Like animals, plants are known to host a community of endophytic microorganisms that live inside

their tissues, without causing harm. Starting from the observation that some plants seem to tolerate

winter cold quite well, we intend to study the contribution that endophytic bacteria in roots make

to plant cold tolerance. By looking directly at the DNA of the endophytes without cultivating them,

we will first make an inventory of the endophytic root bacteria enriched in thale cress, corn salad

and meadow grass grown under cold conditions. We will then bring these bacteria in culture from

the roots of cold grown plants, identify and characterize them. Experiments will be performed to

assess the effect of different bacteria, or combinations of bacteria, on plant growth in the cold for

thale cress, corn salad and meadow grass. Bacteria with a positive effect on plant cold tolerance will

be studied further to find out which genetic pathways and functions are involved in cold tolerance.

To do this, we will perform experiments that will reveal which genes are activated to higher or lower

level in both the plants and the bacteria when growing in the cold. For those genes that seem to be

important in cold conditions, we will confirm our observations by studying what happens to cold

tolerance when we block those genes with molecular tools.