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Volume 14
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10.3390/microorganisms14071497
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Article

Plant–Endophyte Cross-Talk in Origanum heracleoticum L. In Vitro Axenic Culture: Endosphere-Driven Bacterial Interactions and Plant Metabolic Responses

by
Giulia Semenzato
1,
Sara Barberini
1,*,
Felicia Menicucci
1,
Giulia Atzori
1,
Cecilia Brunetti
1,
Giovanni Marino
1,
Valeria Palchetti
1,
Renato Fani
2,*,
Mauro Centritto
1 and
Giovanni Emiliani
1
1
Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
2
Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Microorganisms 2026, 14(7), 1497; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14071497
Submission received: 25 May 2026 / Revised: 26 June 2026 / Accepted: 3 July 2026 / Published: 8 July 2026
(This article belongs to the Collection Feature Papers in Plant Microbe Interactions)
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Abstract

Origanum L. (Lamiaceae) is a commercially important medicinal and aromatic plant genus worldwide. Endophytic bacterial communities are recognized for promoting plant growth and physiology, although their interactions with host metabolism remain insufficiently understood. In this work, an in vitro model of axenic Origanum heracleoticum plants was established to investigate the relationship between endophytic bacteria and their tissue of origin. Specifically, we evaluated the adaptation of two strains, Bacillus sp. OHL2 and Pseudomonas sp. OHS18, and the potential role of Bacillus sp. OHL2 in modulating plant physiology and secondary metabolism. Bacterial inoculation and re-isolation highlighted niche-specific adaptation and possible co-evolution within the host, suggesting an active role of the plant in regulating bacterial colonization within the endosphere. Inoculation with Bacillus sp. OHL2 significantly enhanced photosynthetic rate, leaf area, dry weight, and chlorophyll content. No substantial overall changes in secondary metabolism were detected. Rosmarinic acid was the predominant phenolic, while monoterpenes dominated, with carvacrol dominant. A significant tissue-by-inoculation interaction was observed for α-humulene, which decreased in leaves of inoculated plants. Overall, the in vitro system provides a valuable platform to study plant–endophyte interactions and bacterial mechanisms underlying the stimulation of plant growth and metabolic responses.
Keywords: endophytic microbial ecology; oregano; beneficial microorganisms; Bacillus; Pseudomonas; rosmarinic acid; alpha-humulene endophytic microbial ecology; oregano; beneficial microorganisms; Bacillus; Pseudomonas; rosmarinic acid; alpha-humulene

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MDPI and ACS Style

Semenzato, G.; Barberini, S.; Menicucci, F.; Atzori, G.; Brunetti, C.; Marino, G.; Palchetti, V.; Fani, R.; Centritto, M.; Emiliani, G. Plant–Endophyte Cross-Talk in Origanum heracleoticum L. In Vitro Axenic Culture: Endosphere-Driven Bacterial Interactions and Plant Metabolic Responses. Microorganisms 2026, 14, 1497. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14071497

AMA Style

Semenzato G, Barberini S, Menicucci F, Atzori G, Brunetti C, Marino G, Palchetti V, Fani R, Centritto M, Emiliani G. Plant–Endophyte Cross-Talk in Origanum heracleoticum L. In Vitro Axenic Culture: Endosphere-Driven Bacterial Interactions and Plant Metabolic Responses. Microorganisms. 2026; 14(7):1497. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14071497

Chicago/Turabian Style

Semenzato, Giulia, Sara Barberini, Felicia Menicucci, Giulia Atzori, Cecilia Brunetti, Giovanni Marino, Valeria Palchetti, Renato Fani, Mauro Centritto, and Giovanni Emiliani. 2026. "Plant–Endophyte Cross-Talk in Origanum heracleoticum L. In Vitro Axenic Culture: Endosphere-Driven Bacterial Interactions and Plant Metabolic Responses" Microorganisms 14, no. 7: 1497. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14071497

APA Style

Semenzato, G., Barberini, S., Menicucci, F., Atzori, G., Brunetti, C., Marino, G., Palchetti, V., Fani, R., Centritto, M., & Emiliani, G. (2026). Plant–Endophyte Cross-Talk in Origanum heracleoticum L. In Vitro Axenic Culture: Endosphere-Driven Bacterial Interactions and Plant Metabolic Responses. Microorganisms, 14(7), 1497. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14071497

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