JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 2024, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (6): 129-137.doi: 10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202208001

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Analysis of bacterial and fungal community composition and soil enzyme activities in the rhizosphere of transgenic Betula platyphylla

CAO Li1(), JIN Dongxue1, JIANG Jing1, LI Tianfang2,*()   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Breeding,Northeast Forestry University,Harbin 150040,China
    2. Heilongjiang Academy of Forestry, Harbin 150081, China
  • Received:2022-08-01 Revised:2023-03-19 Online:2024-11-30 Published:2024-12-10
  • Contact: LI Tianfang E-mail:cl08182022@163.com;18646079568@126.com

Abstract:

【Objective】The BpGLK transcription factor of Betula platyphylla is involved in regulating chloroplast development and leaf color. The leaf color of B. platyphylla with inhibited BpGLK expression is yellow-green during the growth period, which holds great ornamental value in landscaping. However, as a genetically modified crop, concerns exist regarding the potential adverse environmental effects of widespread use. This study aims to examine the impact of transgenic BpGLK B. platyphylla on soil enzyme activity and the composition of rhizosphere soil bacterial and fungal communities, providing theoretical data for future environmental release and commercialization.【Method】Three-year-old transgenic B. platyphylla (OE and RE strains) and wild-type (WT) B. platyphylla are used as materials. Soil sucrase, urease, neutral protease, catalase, and cellulase activities were measured using the spectrophotometric method. In addition, 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing analyses of rhizosphere soil microorganisms were conducted using the Illumina-Miseq high-throughput sequencing platform. The richness and diversity of bacterial and fungal communities, structural differences, and community composition in rhizosphere soil were analyzed to understand the effects of transgenic activity on soil enzyme activity and microbial composition in the rhizosphere soil of B. platyphylla.【Result】Significant differences (P < 0.05) are observed in soil urease, sucrase, cellulase and neutral protease activities between BpGLK-transformed B. platyphylla and WT strains at four time points (June 15, July 15, August 15 and September 15). However, catalase activity showed significant differences between WT and some transgenic strains. Soil urease and cellulase activities decrease significantly in mid-August and mid-September. The activity of soil neutral protease in OE strains was higher than that of the WT strain at all four periods (P < 0.05). At the rhizosphere bacterial community level, Burkholderia, a growth-promoting function, was the dominant genus in transgenic and WT strains. The relative abundance of Burkholderia in the rhizosphere soil of transgenic strains significantly increased. At the rhizosphere fungal community level, Tomentella dominated the rhizosphere of transgenic RE strains, while Clavulina dominated the rhizosphere of WT and OE strains. The relative abundance of Laccaria was significantly lower in OE and RE strains (P < 0.05). The Observed, Chao1, Shannon and Simpson indices of transgenic B. platyphylla did not differ significantly from those of WT strains, while the community abundance and diversity of RE strains were significantly higher than those of WT strains. The difference between OE and WT strains was not significant. Venn diagram analysis revealed significant differences in ASV composition between transgenic and WT strains. In contrast, principal component analysis showed slight differences in community composition between RE and WT strains, while the difference between OE and WT strains was relatively larger. However, the difference between OE and WT strains remainsed smaller than that between RE and WT strains.【Conclusion】The results indicated that the introduction of the exogenous BpGLK gene had a specific effect on the abundance and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities in B. platyphylla. These changes can promote plant growth and enhance resistance. However, whether these effects persist over the long term remains to be confirmed in future experiments.

Key words: birch(Betula platyphylla), transgenic, soil enzyme activities, rhizosphere, bacteria, fungi, community composition

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