Isolation of plant-adapted Escherichia coli strains using an experimental evolution approach

To clarify the genetic factors involved in the adaptation of E. coli to the plant environment, we sought to isolate E. coli mutants with improved colonization and growth efficiency in plants. Escherichia coli BW25113 strain was mutagenized by culturing it in LB medium supplemented with methyl ethanesulfonate, and inoculated into the leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana with a syringe. Five days after inoculation, Escherichia coli was recovered from the inoculated leaves and subjected to mutagen treatment again in LB medium. This is the genome sequences of the E. coli mutants with improved growth in plants, which were isolated by repeating the above cycle.