Background Although endophytic microorganisms play a critical role in plant growth and stress resilience, the genetic basis underlying host selection of beneficial microbiota—particularly within the xylem—remains poorly understood. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus), as a crop model with a well-developed system for studying vascular biology, offers a valuable system to investigate the host genetic determinants of xylem microbiome assembly. Results By conducting population-level microbiome profiling across 109 cucumber accessions, we identified a conserved xylem microbiota dominated by Proteobacteria. Within this community, 20 core amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were consistently present in xylem sap. Genome-wide association mapping identified a host genetic locus, CsXPR1, which encodes a tetratricopeptide repeat protein that regulates the abundance of the dominant xylem-colonized Pseudomonas ASV_4. Colonization patterns of ASV_4 varied across host genotypes and were correlated with CsXPR1 expression levels, suggesting a precision genetic regulation of bacterial entry into vascular tissues. Pseudomonas fulva strain 220, with 97% 16S rRNA gene identity with ASV_4, could colonize in cucumber xylem by inoculation of either roots or leaves. Genome analysis and plate assays revealed the biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), solubilization of phosphate, and a range of plant beneficial traits in strain 220. Inoculation with strain 220 significantly enhanced growth in cucumber, but only in CsXPR1 haplotype that exhibited high gene expression and higher recruitment capacity of the strain. These benefits included notable increases in plant height (38%), stem diameter (36%), leaf area (61%), fresh and dry weight (51% and 85%, respectively), and a 4.57-fold increase in 4-methyleneglutamine content within the xylem sap. Conclusion Our findings reveal a complete “gene-to-function” pathway where the host gene CsXPR1 mediates a genotype-dependent growth promotion. It achieves this by regulating the xylem colonization of a beneficial bacterium, Pseudomonas fulva, which in turn enhances plant growth by enriching the xylem sap with the key metabolite 4-methyleneglutamine. <MediaObject ID="MOESM8"> <VideoObject FileRef="MediaObjects/40168_2025_2308_MOESM8_ESM.mp4" VideoID="19xxPpb6FRKtzrPEe6Ys-T"> <Caption Language="En" xml:lang="en"> <CaptionContent> Video Abstract </CaptionContent> </Caption> </VideoObject> </MediaObject>

Host genetic regulation of xylem-resident Pseudomonas enhances cucumber growth

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2026年2月3日

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Yuxuan Qin,
Xueying Zhu,
Yingying Zheng,
Kun Wang,
Kaiji Liao,
Xiaolong Ye,
Han Zhang,
Jinliang Yang,
Hai-Lei Wei,
Xueyong Yang

摘要

Background

Although endophytic microorganisms play a critical role in plant growth and stress resilience, the genetic basis underlying host selection of beneficial microbiota—particularly within the xylem—remains poorly understood. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus), as a crop model with a well-developed system for studying vascular biology, offers a valuable system to investigate the host genetic determinants of xylem microbiome assembly.

Results

By conducting population-level microbiome profiling across 109 cucumber accessions, we identified a conserved xylem microbiota dominated by Proteobacteria. Within this community, 20 core amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were consistently present in xylem sap. Genome-wide association mapping identified a host genetic locus, CsXPR1, which encodes a tetratricopeptide repeat protein that regulates the abundance of the dominant xylem-colonized Pseudomonas ASV_4. Colonization patterns of ASV_4 varied across host genotypes and were correlated with CsXPR1 expression levels, suggesting a precision genetic regulation of bacterial entry into vascular tissues. Pseudomonas fulva strain 220, with 97% 16S rRNA gene identity with ASV_4, could colonize in cucumber xylem by inoculation of either roots or leaves. Genome analysis and plate assays revealed the biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), solubilization of phosphate, and a range of plant beneficial traits in strain 220. Inoculation with strain 220 significantly enhanced growth in cucumber, but only in CsXPR1 haplotype that exhibited high gene expression and higher recruitment capacity of the strain. These benefits included notable increases in plant height (38%), stem diameter (36%), leaf area (61%), fresh and dry weight (51% and 85%, respectively), and a 4.57-fold increase in 4-methyleneglutamine content within the xylem sap.

Conclusion

Our findings reveal a complete “gene-to-function” pathway where the host gene CsXPR1 mediates a genotype-dependent growth promotion. It achieves this by regulating the xylem colonization of a beneficial bacterium, Pseudomonas fulva, which in turn enhances plant growth by enriching the xylem sap with the key metabolite 4-methyleneglutamine.

Video Abstract