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1: Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2006 Feb;17(1):98-102. Epub 2006 Jan 18.
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Studying plant-microbe interactions using stable isotope technologies.

Prosser JI, Rangel-Castro JI, Killham K.

School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, St Machar Drive, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, United Kingdom. j.prosser@abdn.ac.uk

Interactions between plants and microorganisms in the rhizosphere are complex and varied. They include the general transfer of nutrients and specific interactions mediated by the release of signalling molecules from plant roots. Until recently, understanding the nature of these interactions was limited by a reliance on traditional, cultivation-based techniques. Stable isotope probing provides the potential for cultivation-independent characterisation of organisms actively assimilating carbon derived from plant root exudate or added to the soil. Current applications have focused on interactions with relatively low-level specificity, but there is significant potential for mechanistic studies of more specific interactions, particularly if the sensitivity of the technique can be increased.

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PMID: 16413769 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]