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Abstract

Eukaryotic organisms harbor large communities of microorganisms forming an holobiont, considered to be a single ecological and evolutionary unit. In recent years, bacterial community dynamics and their effect on the plant holobiont have been the subject of many studies. In spite of this, little is known regarding the role that bacteriophages play in shaping those bacterial communities. In my work I intend to set the basis for understanding the role of the microvirome in plant colonization and development, by studying Arabidopsis thaliana associated bacteria and phages, in laboratory and natural settings. Following a multilevel approach from isolates, to synthetic communities, to wild plants, I expect to gain a mechanistic understanding of the way phages affect plant-associated bacterial communities, deepening our basic understanding of the plant holobiont, and phage-host interactions in an oligotrophic environment. These findings can be projected to other significant plant-microbes systems, and be the foundation to design phage-based solutions to pest management in agriculture.