Stenotrophomonas: an ambivalent global player from the rhizosphere

Abstract: The genus Stenotrophomonas is of high biotechnological, ecological but also medicalinterest due to the versatility of the different species. S. maltophilia and S. rhizophila areabundant inhabitants of rhizospheres of a broad phylogenetic range of plants. They are able tointeract with eukaryotic cells, which results in positive effects on plant growth and health but alsoon negative impacts on human health. Host-microbe interactions are based on similarmechanisms. Only hypermutator strains (with higher mutation rates) are able to colonize clinicalenvironments, while low mutation frequencies were particularly frequent among S. maltophiliastrains from the rhizosphere. Only the non-pathogenic S. rhizophila, is a promising candidate forbiocontrol and stress protection on plants.