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Peer-reviewedCC BYCell Reports

Phage biocontrol reduces the disease burden and modulates plant immunity through suppression of bacterial virulence

  • Sebastian H. Erdrich
  • Mirco Keilhammer1
  • Swati Sharma2
  • Milan Župunski3
  • Ulrich Schurr4
  • Guido Großmann5
  • Julia Frunzke6
  • Borjana Arsova7
7 affiliations
  1. 1Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Department for Biotechnology (IBG-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Cell and Interaction Biology (ICIB), Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Institute of Microbial Interactions, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
  2. 2Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Department for Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Department for Biotechnology (IBG-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
  3. 3Institute of Cell and Interaction Biology (ICIB), Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
  4. 4Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Department for Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
  5. 5Institute of Cell and Interaction Biology (ICIB), Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 40225, Germany
  6. 6Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Department for Biotechnology (IBG-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany; Institute of Microbial Interactions, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected]
  7. 7Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Department for Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected]
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Abstract

Bacteriophages are increasingly recognized as key players in modulating plant-microbe interactions, including their potential in the biocontrol of plant pathogenic bacteria. In this study, we investigated the tripartite interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana , the bacterial plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris ( Xcc ), and the lytic phage Seregon. Using parallel transcriptomic profiling, we characterized host and pathogen responses during infection and phage treatment. While treatment with phage Seregon did not lead to the eradication of Xcc , it significantly mitigated Xcc -induced disease symptoms, restoring leaf area to levels comparable to the uninfected control within 14 days post-inoculation. Our data revealed that phage-mediated protection is associated with early bacterial recognition, and suppression of Jasmonate (JA)-related responses in the host. Analysis of nuclear localized reporter plant lines further confirmed a significant reduction in ROS levels and JA biosynthesis in phage-treated plants. Concurrently, Xcc exhibited significant transcriptional downregulation of key virulence factors in the presence of the phage, including the genes encoding the type III secretion system, its associated effectors, and components involved in flagella biosynthesis. Remarkably, phage treatment did not lead to a significant increase in bacterial resistance to phage infection, which is in stark contrast to in vitro conditions. Taken together, this study provides first mechanistic insight into how phages can be harnessed to shape plant-pathogen interactions and highlights their potential role in enhancing plant resilience through targeted modulation of both host immunity and pathogen behavior.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{erdrich2026phage,
  title = {{Phage biocontrol reduces the disease burden and modulates plant immunity through suppression of bacterial virulence}},
  author = {Sebastian H. Erdrich and Mirco Keilhammer and Swati Sharma and Milan Župunski and Ulrich Schurr and Guido Großmann and Julia Frunzke and Borjana Arsova},
  journal = {Cell Reports},
  year = {2026},
  month = jun,
  doi = {10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117622},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117622},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Phage biocontrol reduces the disease burden and modulates plant immunity through suppression of bacterial virulence
AU  - Sebastian H. Erdrich
AU  - Mirco Keilhammer
AU  - Swati Sharma
AU  - Milan Župunski
AU  - Ulrich Schurr
AU  - Guido Großmann
AU  - Julia Frunzke
AU  - Borjana Arsova
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/30
JO  - Cell Reports
DO  - 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117622
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117622
AB  - Bacteriophages are increasingly recognized as key players in modulating plant-microbe interactions, including their potential in the biocontrol of plant pathogenic bacteria. In this study, we investigated the tripartite interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana , the bacterial plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris ( Xcc ), and the lytic phage Seregon. Using parallel transcriptomic profiling, we characterized host and pathogen responses during infection and phage treatment. While treatment with phage Seregon did not lead to the eradication of Xcc , it significantly mitigated Xcc -induced disease symptoms, restoring leaf area to levels comparable to the uninfected control within 14 days post-inoculation. Our data revealed that phage-mediated protection is associated with early bacterial recognition, and suppression of Jasmonate (JA)-related responses in the host. Analysis of nuclear localized reporter plant lines further confirmed a significant reduction in ROS levels and JA biosynthesis in phage-treated plants. Concurrently, Xcc exhibited significant transcriptional downregulation of key virulence factors in the presence of the phage, including the genes encoding the type III secretion system, its associated effectors, and components involved in flagella biosynthesis. Remarkably, phage treatment did not lead to a significant increase in bacterial resistance to phage infection, which is in stark contrast to in vitro conditions. Taken together, this study provides first mechanistic insight into how phages can be harnessed to shape plant-pathogen interactions and highlights their potential role in enhancing plant resilience through targeted modulation of both host immunity and pathogen behavior.
SN  - 2211-1247
SN  - 2639-1856
ER  -