Metagenomic insight into microbioal structure and function of plant root microbiome

Systemically and intensively investigating microbial structure and functional attribute of root microbiome, and the interaction amongthe endophyte-plant-pathogen will help us to improve biocontrol of plant pathogens, explore new biocontrol microorganisms and develop new biocontrol strategy in the near future. In this study, Community composition, structure and diversity of plant-associated microbiome, including rhizobacteria and endophytes in tomato roots will be first investigated by usingthe 16S rRNA gene-based community analysis, to reveal the mechanism shaping rootmicrobiome. Then sequence-based metagenomic analysis, combining with the reference genomics of the representative endophyte of the root microbiome will be used to explore a functional insight for the different bacterial groups of endophytes andtheir roles in promoting plant growth and health. Functional identification forthe putative genes will be implemented using gene-deficiency strains, diagnosticPCR and quantitive PCR or endophyte metaproteomics etc.