Abstract
Photosynthetic eukaryotes, such as plants and microalgae, modulate their microbiome using the dicarboxylate metabolite azelaic acid (Aze), a molecule that is used as a carbon source for some heterotrophs but is toxic to others. Uptake and assimilation mechanisms of Aze into bacterial cells are mostly unknown, nor its ability to promote or inhibit growth. Here, we use transcriptomics, isotope labeling, and coexpression networks of master transcriptional factors in two marine bacteria to identify the first putative Aze transporter in bacteria, map Aze catabolism through fatty acid degradation and downstream pathways, infer Aze toxicity to the ribosome, and show that Aze catabolism is restricted to 13 bacterial families across terrestrial and marine ecosystems dominated by algal and plant symbionts. Seawater mesocosms amended with Aze enrich for bacterial families that are able to catabolise Aze. These findings shed light on the role of infochemicals in modulating eukaryote-microbiome interactions across diverse ecosystems.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
