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Review
. 2017 Dec 12:8:2484.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02484. eCollection 2017.

Microbial Volatiles: Small Molecules with an Important Role in Intra- and Inter-Kingdom Interactions

Kristin Schulz-Bohm  1 , Lara Martín-Sánchez  1 , Paolina Garbeva  1
Affiliations
Review

Microbial Volatiles: Small Molecules with an Important Role in Intra- and Inter-Kingdom Interactions

Kristin Schulz-Bohm et al. Front Microbiol. .

Abstract

During the last decades, research on the function of volatile organic compounds focused primarily on the interactions between plants and insects. However, microorganisms can also release a plethora of volatiles and it appears that microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) can play an important role in intra- and inter-kingdom interactions. So far, most studies are focused on aboveground volatile-mediated interactions and much less information is available about the function of volatiles belowground. This minireview summarizes the current knowledge on the biological functions of mVOCs with the focus on mVOCs-mediated interactions belowground. We pinpointed mVOCs involved in microbe-microbe and microbe-plant interactions, and highlighted the ecological importance of microbial terpenes as a largely underexplored group of mVOCs. We indicated challenges in studying belowground mVOCs-mediated interactions and opportunities for further studies and practical applications.

Keywords: bacteria; fungi; microbial interactions; plant–microbe interactions; protists; volatile organic compounds.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Responses in bacteria, fungi, protists and plants caused by microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). The figure shows examples of responses caused my mVOCs in bacteria, fungi, protists, and plants.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Terpenes-mediated belowground interactions. The figure shows examples of interactions between different organisms in the rhizosphere that are mediated by microbial terpenes. Blue arrows indicate intra-kingdom interactions while black arrows indicate inter-kingdom interactions. The numbers in the figure correspond with the numbers in Table 1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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