The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants are crucial to the quality improvement of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants attract microorganisms to colonize by secreting specific compounds and provide niche and nutrient support for these microorganisms, with a symbiotic network formed. These microorganisms grow in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endophytic tissues of plants and significantly improve the growth performance and medicinal component accumulation of medicinal plants by promoting nutrient uptake, enhancing disease resistance, and regulating the synthesis of secondary metabolites. Microorganisms are also widely used in the ecological planting of medicinal plants, and the growth conditions of medicinal plants are optimized by simulating the microbial effects in the natural environment. The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants not only significantly improve the yield and quality of medicinal plants but also enhance their geoherbalism, which is in line with the concept of green agriculture and eco-friendly development. This study reviewed the research results on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms in recent years and focused on the analysis of the great potential of microorganisms in optimizing the growth environment of medicinal plants, regulating the accumulation of secondary metabolites, inducing systemic resistance, and promoting the ecological planting of medicinal plants. It provides a scientific basis for the research on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms, the research and development of microbial agents, and the application of microorganisms in the ecological planting of medicinal plants and is of great significance for the quality improvement of medicinal plants and the green and sustainable development of TCM resources.
Plants, Medicinal/metabolism* ; Bacteria/genetics* ; Symbiosis

The research and development of new traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) drugs has entered a phase integrating high-quality development with resource assurance. Drawing from 18 new TCM drug registration resource assessment projects, this study systematically summarizes three core challenges in TCM resource management:(1) industrial chain complexity amplifies quantity-quality risks through material heterogeneity(multi-origin variations and wild-to-cultivated genetic shifts) and production chain coupling(germplasm-cultivation-processing whole-chain volatility);(2) structural misalignment among institutions, enterprises, and producers leads to disattachment of research and development from industrial demand;(3) technical barriers exist in quality control systems, involving producing area shift, cultivation evolution, and harvesting and processing innovations. This study proposes a four-dimensional assessment framework prioritizing "species stabilization, quantity availability, quality control, and quality optimization", which is supported by an early-warning system addressing multi-origin selection, adulterant control, endangered species protection, and standardized cultivation. Risk management strategies emphasize supply chain traceability, particularly for imported and ethnic medicinal materials. Using Epimedii Folium as a case study, this study demonstrates a tripartite industrial upgrade paradigm integrating premium germplasm, cultivation technology, and quality control, ultimately establishing an innovation mechanism with deep academia-industry collaboration. The research advocates transforming resource assessment from compliance checks to strategic decision-making tools through enhanced academia-industry collaboration, so as to provide resource assurance for high-quality TCM development.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Quality Control ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/economics* ; Humans ; Drug Industry ; Symbiosis

Swarming motility is a typical synergistic motion, in which bacteria use flagella and Type Ⅳ Pili together to move collectively on semi-solid surfaces. Swarming motility is a hot topic of research in the field of microbiology because of its close relationship with biofilm formation, fruiting bodies formation, pathogen invasion and microbial dispersal and symbiosis. A large number of studies have been conducted on bacterial swarming motility, including changes in the expression of key proteins, changes in chemical communications between bacteria as well as mechanical changes. The expression of flagellin and the level of intracellular c-di-GMP complicatedly regulates the collective behavior of bacteria in colonies, which consequently impacts the swarming motility. The unique physical properties of swarmer cells are conducive to the expansion of the whole colony. Factors such as nutrient and water content in the surrounding growth environment of bacteria also affect the ability of bacteria to swarm to different degrees. It is challenging to construct a universal model of swarming motility based on the molecular mechanisms of swarming in the future.
Bacteria ; Flagellin ; Symbiosis ; Water

Interactions between gut microbiome and host immune system are fundamental to maintaining the intestinal mucosal barrier and homeostasis. At the host-gut microbiome interface, cell wall-derived molecules from gut commensal bacteria have been reported to play a pivotal role in training and remodeling host immune responses. In this article, we review gut bacterial cell wall-derived molecules with characterized chemical structures, including peptidoglycan and lipid-related molecules that impact host health and disease processes via regulating innate and adaptive immunity. Also, we aim to discuss the structures, immune responses, and underlying mechanisms of these immunogenic molecules. Based on current advances, we propose cell wall-derived components as important sources of medicinal agents for the treatment of infection and immune diseases.
Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Intestinal Mucosa ; Bacteria ; Immune System ; Symbiosis ; Immunity, Mucosal ; Immunity, Innate

Mycena, a symbiont of Gastrodia elata, promotes seed germination of G. elata and plays a crucial role in the sexual reproduction of G. elata. However, the lack of genetic transformation system of Mycena blocks the research on the interaction mechanism of the two. In order to establish the protoplast transformation system of Mycena, this study analyzed the protoplast enzymatic hydrolysis system, screened the resistance markers and regeneration medium, and explored the transient transformation. After hydrolysis of Mycena hyphae with complexes enzymes for 8 h and centrifugation at 4 000 r·min~(-1), high-concentration and quality protoplast was obtained. The optimum regeneration medium for Mycena was RMV, and the optimum resistance marker was 50 mg·mL~(-1) hygromycin. The pLH-HygB-HuSHXG-GFP-HdSHXG was transformed into the protoplast of Mycena which then expressed GFP. The established protoplast transformation system of Mycena laid a foundation for analyzing the functional genes of Mycena and the molecular mechanism of the symbiosis of Mycena and G. elata.
Agaricales ; Gastrodia/genetics* ; Protoplasts ; Symbiosis/genetics* ; Transformation, Genetic

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi provided is beneficial to Salvia miltiorrhiza for increasing yield, promoting the accumulation of active ingredients, and alleviating S. miltiorrhiza disease etc. However, the application of fungicides will affect the benefit of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and there is little research about it. This article study the effect of four different fungicides: carbendazim, polyoxin, methyl mopazine, and mancozeb on mycorrhiza benefit to S. miltiorrhiza by the infection intensity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, the growth of S. miltiorrhiza, and the content of active ingredients. RESULTS:: showed that different fungicides had different effects. The application of mancozeb had the strongest inhibitory effect on the mycorrhizal benefit to S. miltiorrhiza. Mancozeb significantly reduced the mycorrhizal colonization and the beneficial effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the growth and the accumulation of active components of S. miltiorrhiza. The application of polyoxin had no significant effect on mycorrhizal colonization. Instead, it had a synergistic effect with the mycorrhizal benefit to promoting the growth and accumulation of rosmarinic acid of S. miltiorrhiza. The inhibitory strengths of four fungicides are: mancozeb>thiophanate methyl, carbendazim>polyoxin. Therefore, we recommend applying biological fungicides polyoxin and avoid applying chemical fungicides mancozeb for disease control during mycorrhizal cultivation of S. miltiorrhiza.
Fungicides, Industrial/pharmacology* ; Mycorrhizae ; Plant Roots ; Salvia miltiorrhiza ; Symbiosis

The remediation of heavy-metal (HM) contaminated soil using hyperaccumulators is one of the important solutions to address the inorganic contamination widely occurred worldwide. Hyperaccumulators are able to hyperaccumulate HMs, but their planting, growth, and extraction capacities are greatly affected by HM stress. The application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enhances the function of hyperaccumulators by combining the functional advantages of both, improving the efficiency of remediation, shortening the remediation cycle, and maintaining the stability and persistence of the remediation. Thus, the combined use of AMF with hyperaccumulators has broad prospects for application in the management of increasingly complex and severe HM pollution. This review starts by defining the concept of hyperaccumulators, followed by describing the typical hyperaccumulators that were firstly reported in China as well as those known to form symbioses with AMF. This review provides a systematic and in-depth discussion of the effects of AMF on the growth of hyperaccumulators, as well as the absorption and accumulation of HMs, the effects and mechanism on the hyperaccumulator plus AMF symbiosis to absorb and accumulate HMs. AMF enhances the function of hyperaccumulators on the absorption and accumulation of HMs by regulating the physicochemical and biological conditions in the plant rhizosphere, the situation of elements homeostasis, the physiological metabolism and gene expression. Moreover, the symbiotic systems established by hyperaccumulators plus AMF have the potential to combine their abilities to remediate HMs-contaminated habitat. Finally, challenges for the combined use of remediation technologies for hyperaccumulator plus AMF symbiosis and future directions were prospected.
Biodegradation, Environmental ; Metals, Heavy ; Mycorrhizae/chemistry* ; Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Soil Pollutants ; Symbiosis

With the cooperation of bacteria and the human body, the nutrients in food are deeply digested, utilized, and shared. In addition, symbiosis is formed between microorganisms and hosts. Such a delicate combination makes the microorganisms form the inherent flora in the human body. They obtain the biological basis for survival, and provide the necessary regulation and support for the host in terms of immunity and nutrition, through their functional metabolism and population signals. At present, most of the researches focus on the isolation and evaluation of the functional components of plants, such as plant polysaccharides, polyphenols, flavonoids, and other active functional components. However, in traditional Chinese medicine, plants are often used with whole food components. To date, studies have found that the dynamics of flora affecting human health are not fixed, nor dependent on the change of a single strain. The ecological competition and metabolic regulation between microorganisms are usually coevolved with the host. The regulatory effect of natural plants for both medicine and food mainly depends on their whole food components. This provides evidence to support the role of whole food components played in promoting the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine from the perspective of microenvironment. Therefore, the development and utilization of medicinal and edible natural plant activities should be fully understood and evaluated with flora regulation.
Bacteria ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Polysaccharides ; Symbiosis

The technique of "simulative habitat cultivation" is to preserve the quality of traditional Chinese medicine by simulating the original habitat and site environment of wild Chinese medicine resources. Dendrobium nobile is the most representative variety of traditional Chinese medicine which reflects the coordinated development of medicinal material production and ecological environment. In this paper, the main technical points of the simulated cultivation model of D. nobile were summarized as follows: rapid propagation of seedling tissue technology to ensure the genetic stability of provenance; line card+fermented cow manure+live moss method to improve the survival rate; epiphytic stone cultivation to improve the quality of medicinal materials; and the integration of mycorrhizal fungi to improve the quality stability of medicinal materials. On the basis of summarizing the ecological benefits, economical and social benefits generated by the application of the technology, the paper systematically analyzes the principle of the technology for the cultivation of D. nobile to promote the excellent quality, the light, gas, heat and fertilizer resources of the undergrowth niche are in line with the wild site environment of D. nobile. The rich and complex soil microbial community in the forest laid the foundation for the species diversity needed for the growth of D. nobile.The stress effect on the growth of D. nobile resulted in the accumulation of secondary metabolites. The symbiotic relationship between the symbiotic fungi such as bryophytes and D. nobile promotes the synthesis of plant secondary metabolites. The high quality D. nobile was produced efficiently by improving and optimizing the cultivation techniques.
Animals ; Cattle ; Dendrobium ; Ecosystem ; Female ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Mycorrhizae ; Symbiosis

Natural lignocellulosic materials contain cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose hydrolysis to glucose requires a series of lignocellulases. Recently, the research on the synergistic effect of lignocellulases has become a new research focus. Here, four lignocellulase genes encoding β-glucosidase, endo-1,4-β-glucanase, xylanase and laccase from termite and their endosymbionts were cloned into pETDuet-1 and pRSFDuet-1 and expressed in Escherichia coli. After SDS-PAGE analysis, the corresponding protein bands consistent with the theoretical values were observed and all the proteins showed enzyme activities. We used phosphoric acid swollen cellulose (PASC) as substrate to measure the synergistic effect of crude extracts of co-expressing enzymes and the mixture of single enzyme. The co-expressed enzymes increased the degradation efficiency of PASC by 44% compared with the single enzyme mixture; while the degradation rate increased by 34% and 20%, respectively when using filter paper and corn cob pretreated with phosphoric acid as substrates. The degradation efficiency of the co-expressed enzymes was higher than the total efficiency of the single enzyme mixture.
Animals ; Cellulase ; Cellulose ; Hydrolysis ; Isoptera ; Lignin ; Symbiosis ; beta-Glucosidase