Toward a better understanding of the ecological roles of extracellular vesicles from plant-associated bacteria

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from phytobacteria are emerging key ecological actors of plant–bacteria interactions. They can promote colonization of the host by delivering virulence factors and cell wall-degrading enzymes. Extracellular vesicles also modulate the plant immunity by transporting compounds that either induce or suppress plant defense responses. Furthermore, they mediate interspecies and inter-kingdom communication, influencing microbial community dynamics. This review highlights the involvement of bacterial EVs in many parts of the plant–bacteria dialog. We emphasize the need for studying EVs from phytobacteria to better understand plant–bacteria interactions and the possible use of bacterial EVs in a One Health context.