# Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Leaves and Stem Endophytes of Eight Agave Species

## TL;DR

This study explores the microbial communities in leaves and stems of eight Agave species, revealing differences in their taxonomic and functional diversity.

## Contribution

The study identifies organ-specific microbial genera and functional differences in Agave endophytes using shotgun metagenomics.

## Key findings

- Microbial community structure varied significantly between leaves and stems but not among Agave species.
- Bacterial genera like Acinetobacter and Streptomyces were identified in Agave endophytes.
- Functional categories related to cell signaling and protein metabolism were dominant in both organs.

## Abstract

More than 63% of Mexico’s territory is classified as arid or semiarid, where plants belonging to the genus Agave have evolved. Adaptation to drylands resulted from biochemical, physiological, and anatomical properties shared with other crassulacean plants; however, microbial symbionts also play critical roles in plants’ growth, health, and drought tolerance. To explore endophytic communities in Agave plants, we used a shotgun metagenomic approach. The taxonomic and functional diversity of endophytes were studied in the leaves and stem organs of Agave americana, A.angustifolia, A. fourcroydes, A. karwinskii, A. potatorum, A. tequilana, A. cupreata, and A. rodacantha. The microbial community structure did not differ significantly among species, regardless of geographic origin or local environmental conditions, whereas significant differences were observed between organs. We found 4058 genera shared among organs, of which 957 genera are exclusive to the stem and 492 to the leaves. The community analysis of stems and leaves identified bacterial genera, including Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, Escherichia, Corynebacterium, and Streptomyces. Significant differences were also observed between organs in the functional annotations. The dominant functional categories were associated with cell signaling and protein metabolism in both organs.