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Microbes modify plant root permeability
The root provides mineral nutrients and water to the plant. Diffusion barriers seal the root, preventing the loss of internal water and nutrients. Salas-González et al. found that microbes living on and in roots of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana influence diffusion barrier formation, which affects the balance of mineral nutrients in the plant (see the Perspective by Busch and Chory). Plants with modified root diffusion barriers show altered bacterial community composition. Microbes tap into the plant's abscisic acid hormone signals to stabilize the root diffusion barrier against perturbations in environmental nutrient availability, thus enhancing plant stress tolerance.
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