User:Jahmad2/Archaea

Archaea
Though archaea are traditionally thought of as extremophiles, microbes belonging to extreme environments, advances in metagenomics and gene sequencing reveal that archaea are ubiquitous, found in nearly any environment including the root microbiome. For example, root-colonizing archaea have been discovered in maize, rice, wheat, and mangroves.

Their presence and relative abundance in various environments suggest that archaea likely play an important role in the root microbiome. Archaea have been found to promote plant growth and development, provide stress tolerance, improve nutrient uptake and protect against pathogens. For example, Arabidopsis thaliana colonized with an ammonia-oxidizing soil archaea, Nitrosocosmicus oleophilius, exhibited increased shoot weight, photosynthetic activity and immune response.

Examination of microbial communities in soil and roots identify archaeal organisms and genes that occupy functions similar to that of to bacteria and fungi, such as auxin synthesis, protection against abiotic stress and nitrogen fixation. In some cases, key genes for plant growth and development, such as metabolism and cell wall synthesis, are more prevalent in archaea than bacteria.

Archaeal presence in the root microbiome can also be affected by plant hosts, which can change the diversity, presence and health of archaeal communities.