Lioba Rüger

Abstract The spatial variation and underlying mechanisms of pattern formation in the rhizosphere microbiome are not well understood. We demonstrate that specific patterns in the distribution of recently fixed carbon within the plant root system influence the spatial organization of the rhizosphere microbiota.

Plant gene expression patterns The three different root zones along the primary root showed clearly distinct patterns of gene expression as shown by PCA, variance partitioning (Fig. ), and PERMANOVA (R2 = 0.765, P < 0.001). The presence or absence of root cap or root hairs had a more subtle influence on gene expression patterns, which were not significant on a global level (PERMANOVA, P = 0.071 and P = 0.126, respectively).