#5 – Steve Lindow – Ice Nucleation and Microbial Life on Leaves

GES Center Lectures, NC State University

Genetic Engineering and Society Center

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Understanding Microbial Life on Leaves

Steven Lindow, PhD, Distinguished Professor in the Graduate School, Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Website | ResearchGate

Dr. Steve Lindow - of "ice minus" fame - joins us to discuss the bacteria that live on leaf surfaces, and the important roles they play ranging from global precipitation to plant health. Dr. Lindow will also be participating in our AGES Oral History Project (Archive of Genetic Engineering and Society). While his interview will not be available right away, you can check out the rest of the archive at https://go.ncsu.edu/aages.

Abstract

Arial plant surfaces often harbor large epiphytic bacterial populations. The size and composition of these communities however are determined by both small-scale interactions of bacteria with each other and with their plant host that determine growth and survival, as well as large-scale features such as the proximity and abundance of other plant species that contribute immigrant inoculum. The maximum population size of epiphytic bacteria is limited by Carbon availability on the plant surface and differs among plant species due to the differing amounts of exudates. These Carbon sources and therefore sites of bacterial colonization on plants are spatially heterogeneous, with the majority of bacteria residing in localized sites harboring relatively large, mixed species cellular aggregates. Cell density-dependent behaviors, often modulated by so-called quorum sensing signal molecules facilitate preferential survival of bacteria at such sites during stressful desiccation conditions. [cont.]

Full details and speaker bio at https://research.ncsu.edu/ges/event/ges-colloquium-2022-02-22/

See upcoming colloquia at https://go.ncsu.edu/ges-colloquium

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