Project:

Microbes of the Host-Holoparasite Holobiont: Implications for ex situ Conservation of Rafflesia schadenbergiana, the Philippines

Students:

Autumn Curry, Owen Geyman, Nicole Shteynberg

Institution:

Pace University, Manhattan

Mentors:

Jeanmaire Molina

Abstract:

Rafflesia schadenbergiana is the largest flower in the Philippines and one of the most critically endangered plants in the world. This holoparasitic species lives entirely inside its host vine, Tetrastigma, only emerging to bloom, and depends on it for survival, making conservation especially challenging. Recent research suggests that microbes living inside both the parasite and its host form a holobiont, in which the plants and their associated microbial communities function together. This project aims to study the microbiome of R. schadenbergiana by identifying bacterial communities associated with successful parasitism. Using nanopore-based DNA sequencing, we will analyze bacterial DNA from infected host cuttings collected in Mindanao, Philippines. The goal is to identify bacterial taxa from the R. schadenbergiana microbiome in the wild that can enhance host compatibility or early parasite development when applied as microbial inoculants for ex situ conservation.

Poster: