Chemical signals and their roles in medicinal plant-microorganism interactions

Abstract:

Medicinal plants and microorganisms engage in complex, dynamic interactions that profoundly influence plant growth and development, the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, resistance to pathogens, and adaptation to environmental stressors. Therefore, elucidating the chemical signaling molecules that mediate these interactions is of fundamental importance. The review systematically summarizes the types and functional mechanisms of chemical signals involved in medicinal plant-microorganism interactions. It highlights the roles of both plant- and microorganism-derived signaling molecules in shaping the rhizosphere microbial community assembly, regulating plant growth, and modulating the accumulation of bioactive secondary metabolites. In addition, we discuss the functional divergence of bidirectional signaling in both symbiotic and competitive interactions. Although many mechanism aspects of these chemical signals remain to be fully elucidated, current knowledge provides a solid framework for understanding their regulatory roles. With a “signal-microbiome-function” framework, it is possible to manipulate plant chemical signaling or screen functional microbial strains to reconstruct beneficial rhizosphere microbiomes. Such strategies hold potential for improving soil-plant-microorganism interactions, promoting plant growth, enhance the accumulation of medicinal compounds, and strengthen resistance to pathogens. Overall, these insights are of considerable significance for improving the quality of Chinese medicinal materials and promoting the sustainable and ecological cultivation of medicinal plants.