Stagiopoulou Rafaela, Mellidou Ifigeneia, Krigas Nikos, Papatheodorou Effimia M
Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter (ELGO-Dimitra), 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Microorganisms. 2025 Jan 3;13(1):74. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13010074.
The present study examined the effect of the three different altitudes on the enzymatic activity and the prokaryotic communities of the rhizosphere of (L.) A.DC. (Campanulaceae), a vulnerable local endemic species of Crete (Greece). It was observed that the pH and N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) activity increased with altitude while the β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) activity fluctuated with increasing altitude. The prokaryotic community in the rhizosphere of was dominated at the phylum level by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, and Firmicutes, as well as by members at the genus level. The alpha diversity did not vary with altitude while the -diversity varied significantly, reflecting differences in community composition in relation to altitudinal gradient. The NAG activity was positively associated with most of the predominant phyla, except for Proteobacteria. The BG enzyme activity appeared to be negatively associated with Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteriota. Based on online databases, the predicted functions of the community showed a clear distinction in relation to altitude. At lower altitude, functions related to quorum sensing among microbes were overrepresented, while at the higher altitude, the functions were more related to energy production and transfer. The results of this research contribute to the ex situ and in situ protection of the vulnerable populations of and provide information for understanding the effect of altitude on processes in the rhizosphere of a threatened local endemic species of Crete studied in its original habitats.
本研究考察了三种不同海拔高度对希腊克里特岛一种脆弱的当地特有物种——桔梗科植物（L.）A.DC.根际酶活性和原核生物群落的影响。研究发现，pH值和N - 乙酰葡糖胺酶（NAG）活性随海拔升高而增加，而β - 1,4 - 葡糖苷酶（BG）活性则随海拔升高而波动。该植物根际的原核生物群落在门水平上以变形菌门、放线菌门、拟杆菌门和厚壁菌门为主，在属水平上也以某些成员为主。α多样性不随海拔变化，而β多样性变化显著，反映了群落组成随海拔梯度的差异。除变形菌门外，NAG活性与大多数优势门呈正相关。BG酶活性似乎与变形菌门、绿弯菌门和酸杆菌门呈负相关。基于在线数据库，群落的预测功能在海拔方面表现出明显差异。在较低海拔处，与微生物群体感应相关的功能占比过高，而在较高海拔处，功能更多地与能量产生和转移相关。本研究结果有助于对该脆弱种群进行迁地和就地保护，并为理解海拔对克里特岛一种受威胁的当地特有物种在其原生栖息地研究的根际过程的影响提供信息。
