Abstract
Bananas and plantains, part of the Musa genus, are key global food crops that are threatened by various factors, including hurricanes and microbial infections. The production of phytopathogen-free plants in Temporary Immersion Bioreactors (TIB) has gained attention due to improved yield and health. However, the impact of TIB on Musa spp. microbiomes remains poorly understood. Thus, elucidating the role of in vitro Musa spp. microbiome is crucial for developing healthier plantlets with beneficial microbes, such as plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), which are essential for plant development and might help Musa spp. thrive in abiotic and biotic stresses after in vitro development. To reveal the potential association of PGPB, we aimed to identify and characterize the bacterial communities from in vitro (TIB) Musa spp. varieties (Maiden, Dwarf, and Maricongo) pseudostems using both culture-independent (16S rDNA-metabarcoding) and culture-dependent methods to elucidate their diversity and roles in plant health. Our results identified four bacterial phyla, with Bacillota being the most dominant, followed by Pseudomonadota, Actinobacteriota, and Bacteroidota. Brevibacillus sp. and Xylella sp. were the dominant genera. The isolates included Lysobacteraceae and Terribacillus spp., and the microbiomes metabolic pathways featured cofactors and amino acid biosynthesis. These findings enhance the understanding of bacterial communities in Musa spp. under in vitro conditions, highlighting the potential effects of artificial environments on host microbiomes, and encouraging innovative research into bacterial-plant interactions. This may aid in identifying specific bacteria with potential PGPB traits in Musa spp., offering new ways to enhance production and protection.
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Data availability
The 16S rDNA amplicon sequences were deposited in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) under the Bio-Project accession number PRJNA1226154. Individual Sequence Read Archive (SRA) accession numbers were provided in the supplementary Table 1. Isolated bacterial complete 16 S barcode accession numbers are also provided in Table 1.
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Acknowledgements
This research was conducted at the Institute of Sustainable Biotechnology at the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Barranquitas (IAUPR-BR), in collaboration with the Microbial Biotechnology and Bioprospecting Laboratory, Biology Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, P.R. We extend our sincere appreciation to all collaborators on this project, and special thanks to the Tropical Agricultural Research Station (TARS) of the USDA in Mayagüez, P.R., for providing the requested plant material. We also acknowledge the support from the U.S. Department of Education, DHSI TITLE V, Award No. P031S220125, for funding part of this project and involving undergraduate students.
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The research and open access were supported by the Department of Science and Technology at the IAUPR-BR, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, DHSI TITLE V, Award No. P031S220125.
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Study design, microbiome DNA isolation, bacterial isolation, bioinformatics analysis, and initial manuscript draft were carried out by C.A.S.P. Bacterial DNA isolation was performed by H.M.M.J., S.M.M.J., and Y.R.M. Furthermore, C.A.S.P., H.M.M.J., S.M.M.J., and Y.R.M. meticulously analyzed the results. R.A.B provided experimental support and laboratory materials. Revision, proofreading, and editing of the manuscript were carried out by A.R.N.M., C.R.V., and R.E.R.V. General advice regarding the study was provided by C.R.V., R.E.R.V., and J.A.N.B. Funding acquisition A.R.N.M. It is noted that all authors are aware of this study, and the respective authors reviewed the manuscript comprehensively.
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Sambolín-Pérez, C.A., Montes-Jiménez, S.M., Montes-Jiménez, H.M. et al. Revealing and characterizing bacterial communities of in vitro Musa species through 16S rDNA metabarcoding and culture dependent approaches. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-35510-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-35510-9
