Partner-triggered proteome changes in the cell wall of Bacillus sonorensis and roots of groundnut benefit each other.

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) promote plant growth and activate defense response against phytopathogens. At the subcellular level plant-PGPR interaction is less understood, which would be essential for future improvement(s) of PGPR formulations. In a rigorous screening process, that also involved efficient PGPR strains, Bacillus sonorensis RS4 was selected to study partner-triggered interactions. The potential of B. sonorensis RS4 to improve growth of groundnut, efficiency to colonize roots, and influence on root topology was assessed. Twenty four cell wall proteins of B. sonorensis RS4 [in presence of groundnut root exudates (REs)], and 22 groundnut root proteins (in RS4-bacterized plants) were differentially expressed. The alterations in cell wall proteins of B. sonorensis RS4 were primarily related to the amino acids synthesis, chemotaxis, antioxidant-metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, transporters, and antibiosis-related secondary metabolites. Root proteins that were differentially expressed during the interaction may be involved in plant growth, defense responses, and in transportation. The changes in B. sonorensis RS4 cell wall proteome and groundnut root proteome, suggest that at least a part of the proteome changes triggered by each of the partners appear to play a significant role in helping each other akin to symbiosis.