Arthrobacter nicotine catabolism gene cluster acquired via horizontal transfer enhances fitness in tobacco root microbiota (microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com)

• Nicotine catabolism genes are exclusively found in Arthrobacter from nicotine-rich environments.
• Plasmid-mediated horizontal gene transfer drives distribution of these genes.
• Catabolism of nicotine enhances Arthrobacter colonization and fitness in tobacco root microbiota.

"The study demonstrates that nicotine catabolism genes in Arthrobacter are acquired via plasmid-mediated horizontal gene transfer. These genes enable Arthrobacter to degrade nicotine, improving colonization of tobacco roots. Using genetic manipulation and synthetic communities, the authors show that this catabolic capacity enhances Arthrobacter fitness within the root microbiota, highlighting the role of bacterial metabolism of plant specialized metabolites in shaping microbial community assembly."