Abstract :
[en] Some non-pathogenic microorganisms evolving in the root micro-environment can trigger a positive effect on plant, increasing host defense against disease or/and directly inhibiting growth of pathogen in soil (1). To initiate both phenomena leading to biocontrol activity, microorganisms use plant exudates to grow on roots and to produce in-situ active compounds. In Bacilli, cyclic lipopeptides of the surfactin, iturin and fengycin families represent important antibiotics involved in biocontrol (2). Recent studies in microbiology allowed a better understanding of plant microorganism interactions but few has been done at the molecular level. In this study, MALDI MS imaging has been used to study the nature of the secreted lipopeptide molecules, their relative quantity and their distribution in the root’s environment.Disinfected tomato seeds were first germinated at 28°C in sterile conditions for germination. Seedlings were then placed in Petri dish on ITO glass slide recovered with a thin layer of plant nutritive solution containing 1,75% of agar and treated with freshly-grown cells of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens S499. Petri dishes were incubated at 28°C with a 16h photoperiod. Different growth / incubation durations were studied: 10/3; 13/7; 21/14 and 39/32. For MALDI imaging experiments, the ITO slide was removed from the agar and dried in a dessiccator under vacuum. (HCCA, 5mg/mL in ACN/0.2% TFA 70:30) was used as matrix. UltraFlex II TOF/TOF and Solarix FT-ICR mass spectrometers were used to record molecular cartographies and perform MS/MS experiments for structural analysis purposes. The average mass spectra recorded around the tomato root (2-3 mm on both sides of the root) showed that lipopeptides were major compounds detected on the agar. The relative intensity of lipopeptides families varied with respect to the age of the root/biofilm system. In the 10/3 system, 3 homologues of surfactins were essentially detected (C13, C14 and C15), with very few iturins and fengycins. Their localizations were identical, whatever the considered homologue. Then the production of iturin and fengycin families increases in older systems (13/7 and 21/14) and a novel homologue of surfactin is detected (C12). Some variations in localizations within families may be observed (around the root or at the close vicinity of it in function of the considered homologue or alkali adduct). Then for the oldest system we studied, iturins and fengycins are not detected anymore and the localization of surfactins is less precise. In the 39/32 system, we also detected unknown compounds at 986.6, 1000.6, 1014.7 and 1028.7 m/z. The mass range of these compounds allied to the mass difference between two consecutive ion peaks let us think that these unknown compounds could be a new lipopeptide family. Tandem mass spectrometry experiments, performed on the dried culture medium, allowed to partially sequence these new lipopeptides. MS/MS results allied to exact mass measurements and isotopic pattern simulation give good confidence in the chemical structure we suggest. Nevertheless, to fully identify these new variants of surfactin, micro-extractions followed by (LC)-nano-ESI-MS/MS using a LESA module are in progress. MALDI Mass Spectrometry Imaging becomes a tool to decipher inter-species molecular communication.
