Deciphering metabolomics mechanism explaining the role of secondary metabolites as an aid in improving the agronomic traits and tolerance against several stress

Abstract

Bacillus pumilus plays an essential role in agricultural applications as a biological control and for biosafety concerns. However, the underlying mechanisms of B. pumilus strains remain unclear. In our previous study, B. pumilus SH-9 was isolated and shown to be a causal agent of drought stress tolerance and enhanced agronomic traits. Bacillus pumilus SH-9 was isolated from the rhizosphere soil of Artemisia vulgaris. NGS (next generation sequencing) was performed for the strain to gain new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying plant-microbial interactions. NGS revealed 3,910 genes, 3294 genes with protein-coding, and 11 functional genomic regions related to diverse agronomic traits. Several gene clusters related to the biosynthesis of phytohormones, stress tolerance, and agricultural diversification were predicted. The genome provides insights into the possible mechanisms of this bacterium and its future applications. The genomic organization of SH-9 revealed several hallmarks of its plant growth promotion and pathogen suppression activities. Our results provide detailed genomic information for the SH-9 strain and reveal its potential stress tolerance mechanisms, which lays the foundation for the development of effective biocontrol strategies against abiotic stress. Graphical abstract