Different plant compartments, different yeasts: The example of the bromeliad phyllosphere

• Published in: Yeast (Chichester, England) Vol. 39; no. 6-7; pp. 363 - 400
• Main Authors: Félix, Ciro R., Silva Nascimento, Bruno E., Valente, Patrícia, Landell, Melissa F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bognor Regis Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2022
• Subjects: Biotechnology; Extracellular enzymes; flower; Flowers; fruit; Industrial applications; leaf; New species; Phyllosphere; Phyllosphere microorganisms; phytotelma; Plant communities; Statistical analysis; systematic review and Bromeliaceae; Yeast
• ISSN: 0749-503X; 1097-0061
• DOI: 10.1002/yea.3804

The plant phyllosphere is one of the largest sources of microorganisms, including yeasts. In bromeliads, the knowledge of yeasts is dispersed and still incipient. To understand the extent of our knowledge of the subject, this review proposes to compile and synthesize existing knowledge, elucidating possible patterns, biotechnological and taxonomic potentials, bringing to light new knowledge, and identifying information gaps. For such, we systematically review scientific production on yeasts in bromeliads using various databases. The results indicated that the plant compartments flowers, fruits, leaves, and water tank (phytotelma) have been studied when focusing on the yeast community in the bromeliad phyllosphere. More than 180 species of yeasts and yeast‐like fungi were recorded from the phyllosphere, 70% were exclusively found in one of these four compartments and only 2% were shared among all. In addition, most of the community had a low frequency of occurrence, and approximately half of the species had a single record. Variables such as bromeliad subfamilies and functional types, as well as plant compartments, were statistically significant, though inconclusive and with low explanatory power. At least 50 yeast species with some biotechnological potentials have been isolated from bromeliads. More than 90% of these species were able to produce extracellular enzymes. In addition, other biotechnological applications have also been recorded. Moreover, new species have been described, though yeasts were only exploited in approximately 1% of the existing bromeliads species, which highlights that there is still much to be explored. Nevertheless, it appears that we are still far from recovering the completeness of the diversity of yeasts in this host. Furthermore, bromeliads proved to be a good ecological model for prospecting new yeasts and for studies on the interaction between plants and yeasts. In addition, the yeast community diverged among plant compartments, establishing bromeliads as a microbiologically complex and heterogeneous mosaic. This study reports almost 30 years of knowledge generated about yeasts associated with plants (bromeliads as an ecological model). Using the systematic review method, we compiled and analyzed diversity, taxonomy, and biotechnology data. Furthermore, for the first time, we tested the influence of factors such as bromeliad functional types on the structuring of the associated yeast community. It is significant because the work is helpful for us to understand what is already known about the subject in question, but mainly because it offers insights into the knowledge gaps and the following steps to be taken. Take‐away Bromeliads are a great model for studies of yeast‐plant interactions. More than 180 yeast species have already been recorded in bromeliads. Bromeliads compartments have distinct yeast communities. Bromeliad subfamilies and functional types were inconclusive in yeast structuring. Yeasts from bromeliads can find industrial application in biotechnology.