1
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Silva-Andrade C, Rodriguez-Fernández M, Garrido D, Martin AJM. Using metabolic networks to predict cross-feeding and competition interactions between microorganisms. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0228723. [PMID: 38506512 PMCID: PMC11064492 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02287-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the interactions between microorganisms and their impact on bacterial behavior at the community level is a key research topic in microbiology. Different methods, relying on experimental or mathematical approaches based on the diverse properties of bacteria, are currently employed to study these interactions. Recently, the use of metabolic networks to understand the interactions between bacterial pairs has increased, highlighting the relevance of this approach in characterizing bacteria. In this study, we leverage the representation of bacteria through their metabolic networks to build a predictive model aimed at reducing the number of experimental assays required for designing bacterial consortia with specific behaviors. Our novel method for predicting cross-feeding or competition interactions between pairs of microorganisms utilizes metabolic network features. Machine learning classifiers are employed to determine the type of interaction from automatically reconstructed metabolic networks. Several algorithms were assessed and selected based on comprehensive testing and careful separation of manually compiled data sets obtained from literature sources. We used different classification algorithms, including K Nearest Neighbors, XGBoost, Support Vector Machine, and Random Forest, tested different parameter values, and implemented several data curation approaches to reduce the biological bias associated with our data set, ultimately achieving an accuracy of over 0.9. Our method holds substantial potential to advance the understanding of community behavior and contribute to the development of more effective approaches for consortia design.IMPORTANCEUnderstanding bacterial interactions at the community level is critical for microbiology, and leveraging metabolic networks presents an efficient and effective approach. The introduction of this novel method for predicting interactions through machine learning classifiers has the potential to advance the field by reducing the number of experimental assays required and contributing to the development of more effective bacterial consortia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Silva-Andrade
- Programa de Doctorado en Genómica Integrativa, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Laboratorio de Redes Biológicas, Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Rodriguez-Fernández
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel Garrido
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alberto J. M. Martin
- Laboratorio de Redes Biológicas, Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Santiago, Chile
- Escuela de Ingeniería, Facultad de Ingeniería, Arquitectura y Diseño, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile
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2
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Srinivasan S, Jnana A, Murali TS. Modeling Microbial Community Networks: Methods and Tools for Studying Microbial Interactions. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2024; 87:56. [PMID: 38587642 PMCID: PMC11001700 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02370-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Microbial interactions function as a fundamental unit in complex ecosystems. By characterizing the type of interaction (positive, negative, neutral) occurring in these dynamic systems, one can begin to unravel the role played by the microbial species. Towards this, various methods have been developed to decipher the function of the microbial communities. The current review focuses on the various qualitative and quantitative methods that currently exist to study microbial interactions. Qualitative methods such as co-culturing experiments are visualized using microscopy-based techniques and are combined with data obtained from multi-omics technologies (metagenomics, metabolomics, metatranscriptomics). Quantitative methods include the construction of networks and network inference, computational models, and development of synthetic microbial consortia. These methods provide a valuable clue on various roles played by interacting partners, as well as possible solutions to overcome pathogenic microbes that can cause life-threatening infections in susceptible hosts. Studying the microbial interactions will further our understanding of complex less-studied ecosystems and enable design of effective frameworks for treatment of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanchana Srinivasan
- Department of Public Health Genomics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, India
| | - Apoorva Jnana
- Department of Public Health Genomics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, India
| | - Thokur Sreepathy Murali
- Department of Public Health Genomics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, India.
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3
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Costas-Selas C, Martínez-García S, Delgadillo-Nuño E, Justel-Díez M, Fuentes-Lema A, Fernández E, Teira E. Linking the impact of bacteria on phytoplankton growth with microbial community composition and co-occurrence patterns. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 193:106262. [PMID: 38035521 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
The interactions between microalgae and bacteria have recently emerged as key control factors which might contribute to a better understanding on how phytoplankton communities assemble and respond to environmental disturbances. We analyzed partial 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA genes from a total of 42 antibiotic bioassays, where phytoplankton growth was assessed in the presence or absence of an active bacterial community. A significant negative impact of bacteria was observed in 18 bioassays, a significant positive impact was detected in 5 of the cases, and a non-detectable effect occurred in 19 bioassays. Thalasiossira spp., Chlorophytes, Vibrionaceae and Alteromonadales were relatively more abundant in the samples where a positive effect of bacteria was observed compared to those where a negative impact was observed. Phytoplankton diversity was lower when bacteria negatively affect their growth than when the effect was beneficial. The phytoplankton-bacteria co-occurrence subnetwork included many significant Chlorophyta-Alteromonadales and Bacillariophyceae-Alteromonadales positive associations. Phytoplankton-bacteria co-exclusions were not detected in the network, which contrasts with the negative effect of bacteria on phytoplankton growth frequently detected in the bioassays, suggesting strong competitive interactions. Overall, this study adds strong evidence supporting the key role of phytoplankton-bacteria interactions in the microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Costas-Selas
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Sandra Martínez-García
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Erick Delgadillo-Nuño
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Maider Justel-Díez
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Antonio Fuentes-Lema
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Emilio Fernández
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Eva Teira
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
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4
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Torres Salazar BO, Dema T, Schilling NA, Janek D, Bornikoel J, Berscheid A, Elsherbini AMA, Krauss S, Jaag SJ, Lämmerhofer M, Li M, Alqahtani N, Horsburgh MJ, Weber T, Beltrán-Beleña JM, Brötz-Oesterhelt H, Grond S, Krismer B, Peschel A. Commensal production of a broad-spectrum and short-lived antimicrobial peptide polyene eliminates nasal Staphylococcus aureus. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:200-213. [PMID: 38110697 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01544-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Antagonistic bacterial interactions often rely on antimicrobial bacteriocins, which attack only a narrow range of target bacteria. However, antimicrobials with broader activity may be advantageous. Here we identify an antimicrobial called epifadin, which is produced by nasal Staphylococcus epidermidis IVK83. It has an unprecedented architecture consisting of a non-ribosomally synthesized peptide, a polyketide component and a terminal modified amino acid moiety. Epifadin combines a wide antimicrobial target spectrum with a short life span of only a few hours. It is highly unstable under in vivo-like conditions, potentially as a means to limit collateral damage of bacterial mutualists. However, Staphylococcus aureus is eliminated by epifadin-producing S. epidermidis during co-cultivation in vitro and in vivo, indicating that epifadin-producing commensals could help prevent nasal S. aureus carriage. These insights into a microbiome-derived, previously unknown antimicrobial compound class suggest that limiting the half-life of an antimicrobial may help to balance its beneficial and detrimental activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin O Torres Salazar
- Department of Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Taulant Dema
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nadine A Schilling
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniela Janek
- Department of Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jan Bornikoel
- Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anne Berscheid
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ahmed M A Elsherbini
- Department of Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sophia Krauss
- Department of Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Simon J Jaag
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Lämmerhofer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Min Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Norah Alqahtani
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Malcolm J Horsburgh
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Tilmann Weber
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - José Manuel Beltrán-Beleña
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Heike Brötz-Oesterhelt
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephanie Grond
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Tübingen, Germany.
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Bernhard Krismer
- Department of Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Tübingen, Germany.
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Andreas Peschel
- Department of Infection Biology, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence EXC 2124 Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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5
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Boruta T, Ścigaczewska A, Bizukojć M. Investigating the Stirred Tank Bioreactor Co-Cultures of the Secondary Metabolite Producers Streptomyces noursei and Penicillium rubens. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1748. [PMID: 38136619 PMCID: PMC10742013 DOI: 10.3390/biom13121748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The stirred tank bioreactor co-cultures of the filamentous fungus Penicillium rubens and actinomycete Streptomyces noursei were studied with regard to secondary metabolite (SM) production, sugar consumption, and dissolved oxygen levels. In addition to the quantitative analysis of penicillin G and nystatin A1, the broad repertoire of 22 putatively identified products was semi-quantitatively evaluated with the use of UPLC-MS. Three co-cultivation variants differing with respect to the co-culture initiation method (i.e., the simultaneous inoculation of P. rubens and S. noursei and the 24 or 48 h inoculation delay of S. noursei relative to P. rubens) were investigated. All the co-cultures were carried out in parallel with the corresponding monoculture controls. Even though S. noursei showed the tendency to outperform P. rubens and inhibit the production of fungal secondary metabolites, the approach of simultaneous inoculation was effective in terms of enhancing the production of some S. noursei SMs, namely desferrioxamine E, deshydroxynocardamine, and argvalin. S. noursei displayed the capability of adaptation and SM production even after being inoculated into the 24 or 48 h culture of P. rubens. Interestingly, S. noursei turned out to be more efficient in terms of secondary metabolite production when its inoculation time relative to P. rubens was delayed by 48 h rather than by 24 h. The study demonstrated that the prolongation of inoculation delays can be beneficial for production-related performance in some co-culture systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Boruta
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, ul. Wólczańska 213, 93-005 Łódź, Poland; (A.Ś.); (M.B.)
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6
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Crocker K, Lee KK, Chakraverti-Wuerthwein M, Li Z, Tikhonov M, Mani M, Gowda K, Kuehn S. Global patterns in gene content of soil microbiomes emerge from microbial interactions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.31.542950. [PMID: 38014336 PMCID: PMC10680560 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.31.542950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Microbial metabolism sustains life on Earth. Sequencing surveys of communities in hosts, oceans, and soils have revealed ubiquitous patterns linking the microbes present, the genes they possess, and local environmental conditions. One prominent explanation for these patterns is environmental filtering: local conditions select strains with particular traits. However, filtering assumes ecological interactions do not influence patterns, despite the fact that interactions can and do play an important role in structuring communities. Here, we demonstrate the insufficiency of the environmental filtering hypothesis for explaining global patterns in topsoil microbiomes. Using denitrification as a model system, we find that the abundances of two characteristic genotypes trade-off with pH; nar gene abundances increase while nap abundances decrease with declining pH. Contradicting the filtering hypothesis, we show that strains possessing the Nar genotype are enriched in low pH conditions but fail to grow alone. Instead, the dominance of Nar genotypes at low pH arises from an ecological interaction with Nap genotypes that alleviates nitrite toxicity. Our study provides a roadmap for dissecting how global associations between environmental variables and gene abundances arise from environmentally modulated community interactions.
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7
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Zhang Y, Xia X, Wan L, Han BP, Liu H, Jing H. Microbial Communities Are Shaped by Different Ecological Processes in Subtropical Reservoirs of Different Trophic States. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:2073-2085. [PMID: 37042985 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02216-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding microbial community structure and the underlying control mechanisms are fundamental purposes of aquatic ecology. However, little is known about the seasonality and how trophic conditions regulate plankton community in subtropical reservoirs. In this study, we study the prokaryotic and picoeukaryotic communities and their interactions during wet and dry seasons in two subtropical reservoirs: one at oligotrophic state and another at mesotrophic state. Distinct microbial community compositions (prokaryotes and picoeukaryotes) and seasonal variation pattern were detected in the oligotrophic and mesotrophic reservoirs. The interactions between prokaryotic and picoeukaryotic communities were more prevalent in the oligotrophic reservoir, suggesting enhanced top-down control of small eukaryotic grazers on the prokaryotic communities. On the other hand, the microbial community in the mesotrophic reservoir was more influenced by physico-chemical parameters and showed a stronger seasonal variation, which may be the result of distinct nutrient levels in wet and dry seasons, indicating the importance of bottom-up control. Our study contributes to new understandings of the environmental and biological processes that shape the structure and dynamics of the planktonic microbial communities in reservoirs of different trophic states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Experimental Study under Deep-sea Extreme Conditions, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Xiaomin Xia
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Linglin Wan
- Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo-Ping Han
- Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongbin Liu
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
- HKUST-CAS Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China.
| | - Hongmei Jing
- CAS Key Laboratory for Experimental Study under Deep-sea Extreme Conditions, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
- HKUST-CAS Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China.
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8
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Cosetta CM, Niccum B, Kamkari N, Dente M, Podniesinski M, Wolfe BE. Bacterial-fungal interactions promote parallel evolution of global transcriptional regulators in a widespread Staphylococcus species. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1504-1516. [PMID: 37524910 PMCID: PMC10432416 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01462-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Experimental studies of microbial evolution have largely focused on monocultures of model organisms, but most microbes live in communities where interactions with other species may impact rates and modes of evolution. Using the cheese rind model microbial community, we determined how species interactions shape the evolution of the widespread food- and animal-associated bacterium Staphylococcus xylosus. We evolved S. xylosus for 450 generations alone or in co-culture with one of three microbes: the yeast Debaryomyces hansenii, the bacterium Brevibacterium aurantiacum, and the mold Penicillium solitum. We used the frequency of colony morphology mutants (pigment and colony texture phenotypes) and whole-genome sequencing of isolates to quantify phenotypic and genomic evolution. The yeast D. hansenii strongly promoted diversification of S. xylosus. By the end of the experiment, all populations co-cultured with the yeast were dominated by pigment and colony morphology mutant phenotypes. Populations of S. xylosus grown alone, with B. aurantiacum, or with P. solitum did not evolve novel phenotypic diversity. Whole-genome sequencing of individual mutant isolates across all four treatments identified numerous unique mutations in the operons for the SigB, Agr, and WalRK global regulators, but only in the D. hansenii treatment. Phenotyping and RNA-seq experiments highlighted altered pigment and biofilm production, spreading, stress tolerance, and metabolism of S. xylosus mutants. Fitness experiments revealed antagonistic pleiotropy, where beneficial mutations that evolved in the presence of the yeast had strong negative fitness effects in other biotic environments. This work demonstrates that bacterial-fungal interactions can have long-term evolutionary consequences within multispecies microbiomes by facilitating the evolution of strain diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey M Cosetta
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Brittany Niccum
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Nick Kamkari
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | - Michael Dente
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | | | - Benjamin E Wolfe
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.
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9
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Boruta T. Computation-aided studies related to the induction of specialized metabolite biosynthesis in microbial co-cultures: An introductory overview. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:4021-4029. [PMID: 37649711 PMCID: PMC10462793 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Co-cultivation is an effective method of inducing the production of specialized metabolites (SMs) in microbial strains. By mimicking the ecological interactions that take place in natural environment, this approach enables to trigger the biosynthesis of molecules which are not formed under monoculture conditions. Importantly, microbial co-cultivation may lead to the discovery of novel chemical entities of pharmaceutical interest. The experimental efforts aimed at the induction of SMs are greatly facilitated by computational techniques. The aim of this overview is to highlight the relevance of computational methods for the investigation of SM induction via microbial co-cultivation. The concepts related to the induction of SMs in microbial co-cultures are briefly introduced by addressing four areas associated with the SM induction workflows, namely the detection of SMs formed exclusively under co-culture conditions, the annotation of induced SMs, the identification of SM producer strains, and the optimization of fermentation conditions. The computational infrastructure associated with these areas, including the tools of multivariate data analysis, molecular networking, genome mining and mathematical optimization, is discussed in relation to the experimental results described in recent literature. The perspective on the future developments in the field, mainly in relation to the microbiome-related research, is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Boruta
- Lodz University of Technology, Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Department of Bioprocess Engineering, ul. Wólczańska 213, 93-005 Łódź, Poland
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10
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Turner CB, Blount ZD, Mitchell DH, Lenski RE. Evolution of a cross-feeding interaction following a key innovation in a long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001390. [PMID: 37650867 PMCID: PMC10482366 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of a novel trait can profoundly change an organism's effects on its environment, which can in turn affect the further evolution of that organism and any coexisting organisms. We examine these effects and feedbacks following the evolution of a novel function in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE) with Escherichia coli. A characteristic feature of E. coli is its inability to grow aerobically on citrate (Cit-). Nonetheless, a Cit+ variant with this capacity evolved in one LTEE population after 31 000 generations. The Cit+ clade then coexisted stably with another clade that retained the ancestral Cit- phenotype. This coexistence was shaped by the evolution of a cross-feeding relationship based on C4-dicarboxylic acids, particularly succinate, fumarate, and malate, that the Cit+ variants release into the medium. Both the Cit- and Cit+ cells evolved to grow on these excreted resources. The evolution of aerobic growth on citrate thus led to a transition from an ecosystem based on a single limiting resource, glucose, to one with at least five resources that were either shared or partitioned between the two coexisting clades. Our findings show that evolutionary novelties can change environmental conditions in ways that facilitate diversity by altering ecosystem structure and the evolutionary trajectories of coexisting lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline B. Turner
- Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Present address: Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Zachary D. Blount
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Daniel H. Mitchell
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Present address: Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Richard E. Lenski
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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11
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Martin AJ, Serebrinsky-Duek K, Riquelme E, Saa PA, Garrido D. Microbial interactions and the homeostasis of the gut microbiome: the role of Bifidobacterium. MICROBIOME RESEARCH REPORTS 2023; 2:17. [PMID: 38046822 PMCID: PMC10688804 DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2023.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The human gut is home to trillions of microorganisms that influence several aspects of our health. This dense microbial community targets almost all dietary polysaccharides and releases multiple metabolites, some of which have physiological effects on the host. A healthy equilibrium between members of the gut microbiota, its microbial diversity, and their metabolites is required for intestinal health, promoting regulatory or anti-inflammatory immune responses. In contrast, the loss of this equilibrium due to antibiotics, low fiber intake, or other conditions results in alterations in gut microbiota composition, a term known as gut dysbiosis. This dysbiosis can be characterized by a reduction in health-associated microorganisms, such as butyrate-producing bacteria, enrichment of a small number of opportunistic pathogens, or a reduction in microbial diversity. Bifidobacterium species are key species in the gut microbiome, serving as primary degraders and contributing to a balanced gut environment in various ways. Colonization resistance is a fundamental property of gut microbiota for the prevention and control of infections. This community competes strongly with foreign microorganisms, such as gastrointestinal pathogens, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or even probiotics. Resistance to colonization is based on microbial interactions such as metabolic cross-feeding, competition for nutrients, or antimicrobial-based inhibition. These interactions are mediated by metabolites and metabolic pathways, representing the inner workings of the gut microbiota, and play a protective role through colonization resistance. This review presents a rationale for how microbial interactions provide resistance to colonization and gut dysbiosis, highlighting the protective role of Bifidobacterium species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto J.M. Martin
- Laboratorio de Redes Biológicas, Centro Científico y Tecnológico de Excelencia Ciencia & Vida, Fundación Ciencia & Vida, Facultad de Ingeniería, Arquitectura y Diseño, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago 8580702, Chile
| | - Kineret Serebrinsky-Duek
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 833115, Chile
| | - Erick Riquelme
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
| | - Pedro A. Saa
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 833115, Chile
- Institute for Mathematical and Computational Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
| | - Daniel Garrido
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 833115, Chile
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12
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Jo C, Bernstein DB, Vaisman N, Frydman HM, Segrè D. Construction and Modeling of a Coculture Microplate for Real-Time Measurement of Microbial Interactions. mSystems 2023; 8:e0001721. [PMID: 36802169 PMCID: PMC10134821 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00017-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic structures of microbial communities emerge from the complex network of interactions between their constituent microorganisms. Quantitative measurements of these interactions are important for understanding and engineering ecosystem structure. Here, we present the development and application of the BioMe plate, a redesigned microplate device in which pairs of wells are separated by porous membranes. BioMe facilitates the measurement of dynamic microbial interactions and integrates easily with standard laboratory equipment. We first applied BioMe to recapitulate recently characterized, natural symbiotic interactions between bacteria isolated from the Drosophila melanogaster gut microbiome. Specifically, the BioMe plate allowed us to observe the benefit provided by two Lactobacillus strains to an Acetobacter strain. We next explored the use of BioMe to gain quantitative insight into the engineered obligate syntrophic interaction between a pair of Escherichia coli amino acid auxotrophs. We integrated experimental observations with a mechanistic computational model to quantify key parameters associated with this syntrophic interaction, including metabolite secretion and diffusion rates. This model also allowed us to explain the slow growth observed for auxotrophs growing in adjacent wells by demonstrating that, under the relevant range of parameters, local exchange between auxotrophs is essential for efficient growth. The BioMe plate provides a scalable and flexible approach for the study of dynamic microbial interactions. IMPORTANCE Microbial communities participate in many essential processes from biogeochemical cycles to the maintenance of human health. The structure and functions of these communities are dynamic properties that depend on poorly understood interactions among different species. Unraveling these interactions is therefore a crucial step toward understanding natural microbiota and engineering artificial ones. Microbial interactions have been difficult to measure directly, largely due to limitations of existing methods to disentangle the contribution of different organisms in mixed cocultures. To overcome these limitations, we developed the BioMe plate, a custom microplate-based device that enables direct measurement of microbial interactions, by detecting the abundance of segregated populations of microbes that can exchange small molecules through a membrane. We demonstrated the possible application of the BioMe plate for studying both natural and artificial consortia. BioMe is a scalable and accessible platform that can be used to broadly characterize microbial interactions mediated by diffusible molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Jo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David B. Bernstein
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Natalie Vaisman
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - Daniel Segrè
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Bioinformatics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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13
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Chen L, Wang G, Teng M, Wang L, Yang F, Jin G, Du H, Xu Y. Non-gene-editing microbiome engineering of spontaneous food fermentation microbiota-Limitation control, design control, and integration. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2023; 22:1902-1932. [PMID: 36880579 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Non-gene-editing microbiome engineering (NgeME) is the rational design and control of natural microbial consortia to perform desired functions. Traditional NgeME approaches use selected environmental variables to force natural microbial consortia to perform the desired functions. Spontaneous food fermentation, the oldest kind of traditional NgeME, transforms foods into various fermented products using natural microbial networks. In traditional NgeME, spontaneous food fermentation microbiotas (SFFMs) are typically formed and controlled manually by the establishment of limiting factors in small batches with little mechanization. However, limitation control generally leads to trade-offs between efficiency and the quality of fermentation. Modern NgeME approaches based on synthetic microbial ecology have been developed using designed microbial communities to explore assembly mechanisms and target functional enhancement of SFFMs. This has greatly improved our understanding of microbiota control, but such approaches still have shortcomings compared to traditional NgeME. Here, we comprehensively describe research on mechanisms and control strategies for SFFMs based on traditional and modern NgeME. We discuss the ecological and engineering principles of the two approaches to enhance the understanding of how best to control SFFM. We also review recent applied and theoretical research on modern NgeME and propose an integrated in vitro synthetic microbiota model to bridge gaps between limitation control and design control for SFFM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangqiang Chen
- Laboratory of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,Kweichow Moutai Distillery Co., Ltd., Zunyi, China
| | | | | | - Li Wang
- Kweichow Moutai Distillery Co., Ltd., Zunyi, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Kweichow Moutai Distillery Co., Ltd., Zunyi, China
| | - Guangyuan Jin
- Laboratory of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Hai Du
- Laboratory of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Laboratory of Brewing Microbiology and Applied Enzymology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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14
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Fitzpatrick CR, Copeland J, Wang PW, Guttman DS, Kotanen PM, Johnson MTJ. Habitats Within the Plant Root Differ in Bacterial Network Topology and Taxonomic Assortativity. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2023; 36:165-175. [PMID: 36463399 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-09-22-0188-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The root microbiome is composed of distinct epiphytic (rhizosphere) and endophytic (endosphere) habitats. Differences in abiotic and biotic factors drive differences in microbial community diversity and composition between these habitats, though how they shape the interactions among community members is unknown. Here, we coupled a large-scale characterization of the rhizosphere and endosphere bacterial communities of 30 plant species across two watering treatments with co-occurrence network analysis to understand how root habitats and soil moisture shape root bacterial network properties. We used a novel bootstrapping procedure and null network modeling to overcome some of the limitations associated with microbial co-occurrence network construction and analysis. Endosphere networks had elevated node betweenness centrality versus the rhizosphere, indicating greater overall connectivity among core bacterial members of the root endosphere. Taxonomic assortativity was higher in the endosphere, whereby positive co-occurrence was more likely between bacteria within the same phylum while negative co-occurrence was more likely between bacterial taxa from different phyla. This taxonomic assortativity could be driven by positive and negative interactions among members of the same or different phylum, respectively, or by similar niche preferences associated with phylum rank among root inhabiting bacteria across plant host species. In contrast to the large differences between root habitats, drought had limited effects on network properties but did result in a higher proportion of shared co-occurrences between rhizosphere and endosphere networks. Our study points to fundamentally different ecological processes shaping bacterial co-occurrence across root habitats. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor R Fitzpatrick
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, U.S.A
| | - Julia Copeland
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution & Function, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Pauline W Wang
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution & Function, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - David S Guttman
- Centre for the Analysis of Genome Evolution & Function, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Peter M Kotanen
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Marc T J Johnson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga L5L 1C6, Canada
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15
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Shifts from cooperative to individual-based predation defense determine microbial predator-prey dynamics. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:775-785. [PMID: 36854789 PMCID: PMC10119117 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01381-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Predation defense is an important feature of predator-prey interactions adding complexity to ecosystem dynamics. Prey organisms have developed various strategies to escape predation which differ in mode (elude vs. attack), reversibility (inducible vs. permanent), and scope (individual vs. cooperative defenses). While the mechanisms and controls of many singular defenses are well understood, important ecological and evolutionary facets impacting long-term predator-prey dynamics remain underexplored. This pertains especially to trade-offs and interactions between alternative defenses occurring in prey populations evolving under predation pressure. Here, we explored the dynamics of a microbial predator-prey system consisting of bacterivorous flagellates (Poteriospumella lacustris) feeding on Pseudomonas putida. Within five weeks of co-cultivation corresponding to about 35 predator generations, we observed a consistent succession of bacterial defenses in all replicates (n = 16). Initially, bacteria expressed a highly effective cooperative defense based on toxic metabolites, which brought predators close to extinction. This initial strategy, however, was consistently superseded by a second mechanism of predation defense emerging via de novo mutations. Combining experiments with mathematical modeling, we demonstrate how this succession of defenses is driven by the maximization of individual rather than population benefits, highlighting the role of rapid evolution in the breakdown of social cooperation.
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16
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Aranda-Díaz A, Willis L, Nguyen TH, Ho PY, Vila J, Thomsen T, Chavez T, Yan R, Yu FB, Neff N, Sanchez A, Estrela S, Huang KC. Assembly of gut-derived bacterial communities follows "early-bird" resource utilization dynamics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.13.523996. [PMID: 36711771 PMCID: PMC9882107 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.13.523996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Diet can impact host health through changes to the gut microbiota, yet we lack mechanistic understanding linking nutrient availability and microbiota composition. Here, we use thousands of microbial communities cultured in vitro from human feces to uncover simple assembly rules and develop a predictive model of community composition upon addition of single nutrients from central carbon metabolism to a complex medium. Community membership was largely determined by the donor feces, whereas relative abundances were determined by the supplemental carbon source. The absolute abundance of most taxa was independent of the supplementing nutrient, due to the ability of fast-growing organisms to quickly exhaust their niche in the complex medium and then exploit and monopolize the supplemental carbon source. Relative abundances of dominant taxa could be predicted from the nutritional preferences and growth dynamics of species in isolation, and exceptions were consistent with strain-level variation in growth capabilities. Our study reveals that community assembly follows simple rules of nutrient utilization dynamics and provides a predictive framework for manipulating gut commensal communities through nutritional perturbations.
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17
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Mataigne V, Vannier N, Vandenkoornhuyse P, Hacquard S. Multi-genome metabolic modeling predicts functional inter-dependencies in the Arabidopsis root microbiome. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:217. [PMID: 36482420 PMCID: PMC9733318 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01383-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND From a theoretical ecology point of view, microbiomes are far more complex than expected. Besides competition and competitive exclusion, cooperative microbe-microbe interactions have to be carefully considered. Metabolic dependencies among microbes likely explain co-existence in microbiota. METHODOLOGY In this in silico study, we explored genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) of 193 bacteria isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana roots. We analyzed their predicted producible metabolites under simulated nutritional constraints including "root exudate-mimicking growth media" and assessed the potential of putative metabolic exchanges of by- and end-products to avoid those constraints. RESULTS We found that the genome-encoded metabolic potential is quantitatively and qualitatively clustered by phylogeny, highlighting metabolic differentiation between taxonomic groups. Random, synthetic combinations of increasing numbers of strains (SynComs) indicated that the number of producible compounds by GEMs increased with average phylogenetic distance, but that most SynComs were centered around an optimal phylogenetic distance. Moreover, relatively small SynComs could reflect the capacity of the whole community due to metabolic redundancy. Inspection of 30 specific end-product metabolites (i.e., target metabolites: amino acids, vitamins, phytohormones) indicated that the majority of the strains had the genetic potential to produce almost all the targeted compounds. Their production was predicted (1) to depend on external nutritional constraints and (2) to be facilitated by nutritional constraints mimicking root exudates, suggesting nutrient availability and root exudates play a key role in determining the number of producible metabolites. An answer set programming solver enabled the identification of numerous combinations of strains predicted to depend on each other to produce these targeted compounds under severe nutritional constraints thus indicating a putative sub-community level of functional redundancy. CONCLUSIONS This study predicts metabolic restrictions caused by available nutrients in the environment. By extension, it highlights the importance of the environment for niche potential, realization, partitioning, and overlap. Our results also suggest that metabolic dependencies and cooperation among root microbiota members compensate for environmental constraints and help maintain co-existence in complex microbial communities. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Mataigne
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR6553 ECOBIO, Campus Beaulieu, 35000, Rennes, France
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Nathan Vannier
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, 50829, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Stéphane Hacquard
- Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Department of Plant Microbe Interactions, 50829, Cologne, Germany.
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18
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Costas-Selas C, Martínez-García S, Logares R, Hernández-Ruiz M, Teira E. Role of Bacterial Community Composition as a Driver of the Small-Sized Phytoplankton Community Structure in a Productive Coastal System. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02125-2. [PMID: 36305941 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02125-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We present here the first detailed description of the seasonal patterns in bacterial community composition (BCC) in shelf waters off the Ría de Vigo (Spain), based on monthly samplings during 2 years. Moreover, we studied the relationship between bacterial and small-sized eukaryotic community composition to identify potential biotic interactions among components of these two communities. Bacterial operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness and diversity systematically peaked in autumn-winter, likely related to low resource availability during this period. BCC showed seasonal and vertical patterns, with Rhodobacteraceae and Flavobacteriaceae families dominating in surface waters, and SAR11 clade dominating at the base of the photic zone (30 m depth). BCC variability was significantly explained by environmental variables (e.g., temperature of water, solar radiation, or dissolved organic matter). Interestingly, a strong and significant correlation was found between BCC and small-sized eukaryotic community composition (ECC), which suggests that biotic interactions may play a major role as structuring factors of the microbial plankton in this productive area. In addition, co-occurrence network analyses revealed strong and significant, mostly positive, associations between bacteria and small-sized phytoplankton. Positive associations likely result from mutualistic relationships (e.g., between Dinophyceae and Rhodobacteraceae), while some negative correlations suggest antagonistic interactions (e.g., between Pseudo-nitzchia sp. and SAR11). These results support the key role of biotic interactions as structuring factors of the small-sized eukaryotic community, mostly driven by positive associations between small-sized phytoplankton and bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Costas-Selas
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain.
| | - Sandra Martínez-García
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Ramiro Logares
- Departament de Biologia Marina I Oceanografia, Institut de Ciéncies del Mar (ICM), CSIC, Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Hernández-Ruiz
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Eva Teira
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, 36310, Vigo, Spain
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19
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Abstract
Despite an ever-growing number of data sets that catalog and characterize interactions between microbes in different environments and conditions, many of these data are neither easily accessible nor intercompatible. These limitations present a major challenge to microbiome research by hindering the streamlined drawing of inferences across studies. Here, we propose guiding principles to make microbial interaction data more findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). We outline specific use cases for interaction data that span the diverse space of microbiome research, and discuss the untapped potential for new insights that can be fulfilled through broader integration of microbial interaction data. These include, among others, the design of intercompatible synthetic communities for environmental, industrial, or medical applications, and the inference of novel interactions from disparate studies. Lastly, we envision potential trajectories for the deployment of FAIR microbial interaction data based on existing resources, reporting standards, and current momentum within the community.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlie Pauvert
- Functional Microbiome Research Group, Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital of RWTH, Aachen, Germany
| | - Dileep Kishore
- Bioinformatics Program and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel Segrè
- Bioinformatics Program and Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston Massachusetts, USA
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20
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Classifying Interactions in a Synthetic Bacterial Community Is Hindered by Inhibitory Growth Medium. mSystems 2022; 7:e0023922. [PMID: 36197097 PMCID: PMC9600862 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00239-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting the fate of a microbial community and its member species relies on understanding the nature of their interactions. However, designing simple assays that distinguish between interaction types can be challenging. Here, we performed spent medium assays based on the predictions of a mathematical model to decipher the interactions among four bacterial species: Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Comamonas testosteroni, Microbacterium saperdae, and Ochrobactrum anthropi. While most experimental results matched model predictions, the behavior of C. testosteroni did not: its lag phase was reduced in the pure spent media of A. tumefaciens and M. saperdae but prolonged again when we replenished our growth medium. Further experiments showed that the growth medium actually delayed the growth of C. testosteroni, leading us to suspect that A. tumefaciens and M. saperdae could alleviate this inhibitory effect. There was, however, no evidence supporting such "cross-detoxification," and instead, we identified metabolites secreted by A. tumefaciens and M. saperdae that were then consumed or "cross-fed" by C. testosteroni, shortening its lag phase. Our results highlight that even simple, defined growth media can have inhibitory effects on some species and that such negative effects need to be included in our models. Based on this, we present new guidelines to correctly distinguish between different interaction types such as cross-detoxification and cross-feeding. IMPORTANCE Communities of microbes colonize virtually every place on earth. Ultimately, we strive to predict and control how these communities behave, for example, if they reside in our guts and make us sick. But precise control is impossible unless we can identify exactly how their member species interact with one another. To find a systematic way to measure interactions, we started very simply with a small community of four bacterial species and carefully designed experiments based on a mathematical model. This first attempt accurately mapped out interactions for all species except one. By digging deeper, we understood that our method failed for that species as it was suffering in the growth medium that we chose. A revised model that considered that growth media can be harmful could then make more accurate predictions. What we have learned with these four species can now be applied to decipher interactions in larger communities.
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21
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Sridhar S, Ajo-Franklin CM, Masiello CA. A Framework for the Systematic Selection of Biosensor Chassis for Environmental Synthetic Biology. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:2909-2916. [PMID: 35961652 PMCID: PMC9486965 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Microbial biosensors sense and report exposures to stimuli, thereby facilitating our understanding of environmental processes. Successful design and deployment of biosensors hinge on the persistence of the microbial host of the genetic circuit, termed the chassis. However, model chassis organisms may persist poorly in environmental conditions. In contrast, non-model organisms persist better in environmental conditions but are limited by other challenges, such as genetic intractability and part unavailability. Here we identify ecological, metabolic, and genetic constraints for chassis development and propose a conceptual framework for the systematic selection of environmental biosensor chassis. We identify key challenges with using current model chassis and delineate major points of conflict in choosing the most suitable organisms as chassis for environmental biosensing. This framework provides a way forward in the selection of biosensor chassis for environmental synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swetha Sridhar
- Systems,
Synthetic, and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-180, Houston, Texas 77005, United
States,Tel: 713-348-2565.
| | - Caroline M. Ajo-Franklin
- Department
of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Caroline A. Masiello
- Department
of BioSciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS-140, Houston, Texas 77005, United States,Department
of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Rice University, 6100 Main St, MS-126, Houston, Texas 77005, United
States
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22
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Cheng AG, Ho PY, Aranda-Díaz A, Jain S, Yu FB, Meng X, Wang M, Iakiviak M, Nagashima K, Zhao A, Murugkar P, Patil A, Atabakhsh K, Weakley A, Yan J, Brumbaugh AR, Higginbottom S, Dimas A, Shiver AL, Deutschbauer A, Neff N, Sonnenburg JL, Huang KC, Fischbach MA. Design, construction, and in vivo augmentation of a complex gut microbiome. Cell 2022; 185:3617-3636.e19. [PMID: 36070752 PMCID: PMC9691261 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Efforts to model the human gut microbiome in mice have led to important insights into the mechanisms of host-microbe interactions. However, the model communities studied to date have been defined or complex, but not both, limiting their utility. Here, we construct and characterize in vitro a defined community of 104 bacterial species composed of the most common taxa from the human gut microbiota (hCom1). We then used an iterative experimental process to fill open niches: germ-free mice were colonized with hCom1 and then challenged with a human fecal sample. We identified new species that engrafted following fecal challenge and added them to hCom1, yielding hCom2. In gnotobiotic mice, hCom2 exhibited increased stability to fecal challenge and robust colonization resistance against pathogenic Escherichia coli. Mice colonized by either hCom2 or a human fecal community are phenotypically similar, suggesting that this consortium will enable a mechanistic interrogation of species and genes on microbiome-associated phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice G Cheng
- Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Po-Yi Ho
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andrés Aranda-Díaz
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sunit Jain
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Feiqiao B Yu
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Xiandong Meng
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Mikhail Iakiviak
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kazuki Nagashima
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Aishan Zhao
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Advait Patil
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Katayoon Atabakhsh
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Allison Weakley
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jia Yan
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Ariel R Brumbaugh
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steven Higginbottom
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alejandra Dimas
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Anthony L Shiver
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Adam Deutschbauer
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Norma Neff
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Justin L Sonnenburg
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kerwyn Casey Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Michael A Fischbach
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; ChEM-H Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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23
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Chen L, Cheng Q, Zhang X, Zhu M, Hartley W, Zhu F. Novel Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria Isolated from Bauxite Residue: The Application for Revegetation. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2022; 109:3-12. [PMID: 35067726 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-021-03433-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbial inoculation with appropriate inorganic-organic amendments is a promising strategy for ecological rehabilitation at bauxite residue disposal areas. Nevertheless, research on screening suitable plant growth-promoting bacteria with tolerance to highly sodic-alkalinity is very limited in the literature. In this study, novel plant growth-promoting bacteria isolated from bauxite residue were used to investigate their potential for revegetation. Under high saline-alkalinity stress, inoculation of Z18 and Z28 increased the activity of antioxidative enzymes, whilst improving chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in ryegrass. Inoculation of the selected strains greatly reduced damage to organelles in ryegrass as observed by transmission electron microscopy. Based on 90-day soil incubation, inoculated strains improved physicochemical properties of bauxite residue and improved plant growth. These findings suggest that Z18 and Z28 may be selected as potential strains for vegetation establishment, aiding microbial remediation at bauxite disposal areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chen
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Qingyu Cheng
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Xianchao Zhang
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Mingxing Zhu
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - William Hartley
- Agriculture and Environment Department, Harper Adams University, Newport, TF10 8NB, Shropshire, UK
| | - Feng Zhu
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
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24
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Mougeot JLC, Beckman MF, Bahrani Mougeot F, Horton JM. Cutaneous Microbiome Profiles Following Chlorhexidine Treatment in a 72-Hour Daily Follow-Up Paired Design: a Pilot Study. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0175321. [PMID: 35467392 PMCID: PMC9248901 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01753-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Venous catheter-related bloodstream infections represent a significant problem in the United States. Our objective was to determine daily changes in skin microbiome profiles up to 72h postchlorhexidine treatment. Left and right forearm skin swab samples were obtained from 10 healthy volunteers over 72h at 24h intervals. Dorsal surface of left arm was treated with chlorohexidine gluconate (CHG) at initial time point (T = 0), while the right arm remained untreated (control). Swab samples were obtained shortly before (T = 0) and after CHG treatment (T = 24-48-72h). Bacterial DNA extraction, 16S rRNA gene V1-V3 sequencing and taxonomic annotation were performed using ZymoBIOMICS pipeline. PERMANOVA, linear discriminant and bacterial interaction network analyses were performed. A total of 13 total phyla, 273 genera, and 950 total species were detected across all time points, CHG-treated or CHG-untreated. Most abundant species included Cutibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Rothia Mucilaginosa. Low biomass-related inconsistent taxa detection was observed. PERMANOVA suggested a marginal difference between CHG-treated and CHG-untreated microbiome profiles (Genera: P(perm) = 0.0531; Species: P(perm) = 0.0450). Bacterial interaction network guided PERMANOVA analyses detected a microbiome change over time, suggesting a consistent CHG treatment-specific change. LEfSe identified Finegoldia magna, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus thermoamylovorans as the only distinctive species. These species were more abundant and/or present post-CHG treatment in the CHG-treated group. These findings suggest that the skin microbiome was not significantly different 24, 48, or 72h after CHG treatment. Previous culture-based studies have found similar results after 24h. Future studies will be needed to determine the mechanisms of bacterial regrowth after CHG treatment. IMPORTANCE Annually, over 80,000 central line infections occur in the United States. Understanding the pathogenesis of these infections is crucial. Chlorhexidine is the most commonly used skin preparation before line placement. We hypothesized that the use of chlorhexidine and dressings will alter the normal arm skin microbiome over a period of 72h. We used 16S-rRNA gene next generation sequencing (NGS) to determine the forearm skin microbiome of volunteers. The left arm was swabbed with chlorhexidine and the right arm served as control. The skin microbiome returned to normal after 24h. Our NGS results confirm findings of two previous culture-based studies. Relative abundance of Bacillus spp. in the chlorhexidine-treated samples was increased, consistent with one previous study. Based on the results of this pilot study, we will need to measure viable bacteria during a 24h time course following chlorhexidine treatment to understand the source of skin microbiome replenishment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - James M. Horton
- Carolinas Medical Center, Atrium Health, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
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25
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Mall A, Kasarlawar S, Saini S. Limited Pairwise Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions Impart Stability to Microbial Communities. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.648997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the central goals of ecology is to explain and predict coexistence of species. In this context, microbial communities provide a model system where community structure can be studied in environmental niches and in laboratory conditions. A community of microbial population is stabilized by interactions between participating species. However, the nature of these stabilizing interactions has remained largely unknown. Theory and experiments have suggested that communities are stabilized by antagonistic interactions between member species, and destabilized by synergistic interactions. However, experiments have also revealed that a large fraction of all the interactions between species in a community are synergistic in nature. To understand the relative significance of the two types of interactions (synergistic vs. antagonistic) between species, we perform simulations of microbial communities with a small number of participating species using two frameworks—a replicator equation and a Lotka-Volterra framework. Our results demonstrate that synergistic interactions between species play a critical role in maintaining diversity in cultures. These interactions are critical for the ability of the communities to survive perturbations and maintain diversity. We follow up the simulations with quantification of the extent to which synergistic and antagonistic interactions are present in a bacterial community present in a soil sample. Overall, our results show that community stability is largely achieved with the help of synergistic interactions between participating species. However, we perform experiments to demonstrate that antagonistic interactions, in specific circumstances, can also contribute toward community stability.
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26
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Understanding Interaction Patterns within Deep-Sea Microbial Communities and Their Potential Applications. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20020108. [PMID: 35200637 PMCID: PMC8874374 DOI: 10.3390/md20020108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental microbes living in communities engage in complex interspecies interactions that are challenging to decipher. Nevertheless, the interactions provide the basis for shaping community structure and functioning, which is crucial for ecosystem service. In addition, microbial interactions facilitate specific adaptation and ecological evolution processes particularly essential for microbial communities dwelling in resource-limiting habitats, such as the deep oceans. Recent technological and knowledge advancements provide an opportunity for the study of interactions within complex microbial communities, such as those inhabiting deep-sea waters and sediments. The microbial interaction studies provide insights into developing new strategies for biotechnical applications. For example, cooperative microbial interactions drive the degradation of complex organic matter such as chitins and celluloses. Such microbiologically-driven biogeochemical processes stimulate creative designs in many applied sciences. Understanding the interaction processes and mechanisms provides the basis for the development of synthetic communities and consequently the achievement of specific community functions. Microbial community engineering has many application potentials, including the production of novel antibiotics, biofuels, and other valuable chemicals and biomaterials. It can also be developed into biotechniques for waste processing and environmental contaminant bioremediation. This review summarizes our current understanding of the microbial interaction mechanisms and emerging techniques for inferring interactions in deep-sea microbial communities, aiding in future biotechnological and therapeutic applications.
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27
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Bogdanowski A, Banitz T, Muhsal LK, Kost C, Frank K. McComedy: A user-friendly tool for next-generation individual-based modeling of microbial consumer-resource systems. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009777. [PMID: 35073313 PMCID: PMC8830788 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual-based modeling is widely applied to investigate the ecological mechanisms driving microbial community dynamics. In such models, the population or community dynamics emerge from the behavior and interplay of individual entities, which are simulated according to a predefined set of rules. If the rules that govern the behavior of individuals are based on generic and mechanistically sound principles, the models are referred to as next-generation individual-based models. These models perform particularly well in recapitulating actual ecological dynamics. However, implementation of such models is time-consuming and requires proficiency in programming or in using specific software, which likely hinders a broader application of this powerful method. Here we present McComedy, a modeling tool designed to facilitate the development of next-generation individual-based models of microbial consumer-resource systems. This tool allows flexibly combining pre-implemented building blocks that represent physical and biological processes. The ability of McComedy to capture the essential dynamics of microbial consumer-resource systems is demonstrated by reproducing and furthermore adding to the results of two distinct studies from the literature. With this article, we provide a versatile tool for developing next-generation individual-based models that can foster understanding of microbial ecology in both research and education. Microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi can be found in virtually any natural environment. To better understand the ecology of these microorganisms–which is important for several research fields including medicine, biotechnology, and conservation biology–researchers often use computer models to simulate and predict the behavior of microbial communities. Commonly, a particular technique called individual-based modeling is used to generate structurally realistic models of these communities by explicitly simulating each individual microorganism. Here we developed a tool called McComedy that helps researchers applying individual-based modeling efficiently without having to program low-level processes, thus allowing them to focus on their actual research questions. To test whether McComedy is not only convenient to use but also generates meaningful models, we used it to reproduce previously reported findings of two other research groups. Given that our results could well recapitulate and furthermore extend the original findings, we are confident that McComedy is a powerful and versatile tool that can help to address fundamental questions in microbial ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Bogdanowski
- Osnabrück University, Department of Ecology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück, Germany
- Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Department of Ecological Modelling, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Banitz
- Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Department of Ecological Modelling, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Linea Katharina Muhsal
- Osnabrück University, Department of Ecology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Christian Kost
- Osnabrück University, Department of Ecology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Karin Frank
- Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Department of Ecological Modelling, Leipzig, Germany
- Osnabrück University, Institute for Environmental Systems Research, Osnabrück, Germany
- iDiv – German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany
- * E-mail:
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28
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Mataigne V, Vannier N, Vandenkoornhuyse P, Hacquard S. Microbial Systems Ecology to Understand Cross-Feeding in Microbiomes. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:780469. [PMID: 34987488 PMCID: PMC8721230 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.780469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how microorganism-microorganism interactions shape microbial assemblages is a key to deciphering the evolution of dependencies and co-existence in complex microbiomes. Metabolic dependencies in cross-feeding exist in microbial communities and can at least partially determine microbial community composition. To parry the complexity and experimental limitations caused by the large number of possible interactions, new concepts from systems biology aim to decipher how the components of a system interact with each other. The idea that cross-feeding does impact microbiome assemblages has developed both theoretically and empirically, following a systems biology framework applied to microbial communities, formalized as microbial systems ecology (MSE) and relying on integrated-omics data. This framework merges cellular and community scales and offers new avenues to untangle microbial coexistence primarily by metabolic modeling, one of the main approaches used for mechanistic studies. In this mini-review, we first give a concise explanation of microbial cross-feeding. We then discuss how MSE can enable progress in microbial research. Finally, we provide an overview of a MSE framework mostly based on genome-scale metabolic-network reconstruction that combines top-down and bottom-up approaches to assess the molecular mechanisms of deterministic processes of microbial community assembly that is particularly suitable for use in synthetic biology and microbiome engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Mataigne
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR6553 ECOBIO, Rennes, France.,Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Nathan Vannier
- Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, UMR6553 ECOBIO, Rennes, France
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29
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Saa P, Urrutia A, Silva-Andrade C, Martín AJ, Garrido D. Modeling approaches for probing cross-feeding interactions in the human gut microbiome. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 20:79-89. [PMID: 34976313 PMCID: PMC8685919 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities perform emergent activities that are essentially different from those carried by their individual members. The gut microbiome and its metabolites have a significant impact on the host, contributing to homeostasis or disease. Food molecules shape this community, being fermented through cross-feeding interactions of metabolites such as lactate, acetate, and amino acids, or products derived from macromolecule degradation. Mathematical and experimental approaches have been applied to understand and predict the interactions between microorganisms in complex communities such as the gut microbiota. Rational and mechanistic understanding of microbial interactions is essential to exploit their metabolic activities and identify keystone taxa and metabolites. The latter could be used in turn to modulate or replicate the metabolic behavior of the community in different contexts. This review aims to highlight recent experimental and modeling approaches for studying cross-feeding interactions within the gut microbiome. We focus on short-chain fatty acid production and fiber fermentation, which are fundamental processes in human health and disease. Special attention is paid to modeling approaches, particularly kinetic and genome-scale stoichiometric models of metabolism, to integrate experimental data under different diet and health conditions. Finally, we discuss limitations and challenges for the broad application of these modeling approaches and their experimental verification for improving our understanding of the mechanisms of microbial interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Saa
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Institute for Mathematical and Computational Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna, 4860 Santiago, Chile
| | - Arles Urrutia
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia Silva-Andrade
- Laboratorio de Biología de Redes, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alberto J. Martín
- Laboratorio de Biología de Redes, Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel Garrido
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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30
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Boruta T, Ścigaczewska A, Bizukojć M. "Microbial Wars" in a Stirred Tank Bioreactor: Investigating the Co-Cultures of Streptomyces rimosus and Aspergillus terreus, Filamentous Microorganisms Equipped With a Rich Arsenal of Secondary Metabolites. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:713639. [PMID: 34660550 PMCID: PMC8511322 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.713639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial co-cultivation is an approach frequently used for the induction of secondary metabolic pathways and the discovery of novel molecules. The studies of this kind are typically focused on the chemical and ecological aspects of inter-species interactions rather than on the bioprocess characterization. In the present work, the co-cultivation of two textbook producers of secondary metabolites, namely Aspergillus terreus (a filamentous fungus used for the manufacturing of lovastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug) and Streptomyces rimosus (an actinobacterial producer of an antibiotic oxytetracycline) in a 5.5-L stirred tank bioreactor was investigated in the context of metabolic production, utilization of carbon substrates and dissolved oxygen levels. The cultivation runs differed in terms of the applied co-culture initiation strategy and the composition of growth medium. All the experiments were performed in three bioreactors running in parallel (corresponding to a co-culture and two respective monoculture controls). The analysis based upon mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography revealed a broad spectrum of more than 40 secondary metabolites, including the molecules identified as the oxidized derivatives of rimocidin and milbemycin that were observed solely under the conditions of co-cultivation. S. rimosus showed a tendency to dominate over A. terreus, except for the runs where S. rimosus was inoculated into the already developed bioreactor cultures of A. terreus. Despite being dominated, the less aggressive strain still had an observable influence on the production of secondary metabolites and the utilization of substrates in co-culture. The monitoring of dissolved oxygen levels was evaluated as a fast approach of identifying the dominant microorganism during the co-cultivation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Boruta
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland
| | - Anna Ścigaczewska
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland
| | - Marcin Bizukojć
- Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland
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31
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Contribution of single-cell omics to microbial ecology. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 37:67-78. [PMID: 34602304 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Micro-organisms play key roles in various ecosystems, but many of their functions and interactions remain undefined. To investigate the ecological relevance of microbial communities, new molecular tools are being developed. Among them, single-cell omics assessing genetic diversity at the population and community levels and linking each individual cell to its functions is gaining interest in microbial ecology. By giving access to a wider range of ecological scales (from individual to community) than culture-based approaches and meta-omics, single-cell omics can contribute not only to micro-organisms' genomic and functional identification but also to the testing of concepts in ecology. Here, we discuss the contribution of single-cell omics to possible breakthroughs in concepts and knowledge on microbial ecosystems and ecoevolutionary processes.
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32
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Gupta G, Ndiaye A, Filteau M. Leveraging Experimental Strategies to Capture Different Dimensions of Microbial Interactions. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:700752. [PMID: 34646243 PMCID: PMC8503676 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.700752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are a fundamental part of virtually every ecosystem on earth. Understanding how collectively they interact, assemble, and function as communities has become a prevalent topic both in fundamental and applied research. Owing to multiple advances in technology, answering questions at the microbial system or network level is now within our grasp. To map and characterize microbial interaction networks, numerous computational approaches have been developed; however, experimentally validating microbial interactions is no trivial task. Microbial interactions are context-dependent, and their complex nature can result in an array of outcomes, not only in terms of fitness or growth, but also in other relevant functions and phenotypes. Thus, approaches to experimentally capture microbial interactions involve a combination of culture methods and phenotypic or functional characterization methods. Here, through our perspective of food microbiologists, we highlight the breadth of innovative and promising experimental strategies for their potential to capture the different dimensions of microbial interactions and their high-throughput application to answer the question; are microbial interaction patterns or network architecture similar along different contextual scales? We further discuss the experimental approaches used to build various types of networks and study their architecture in the context of cell biology and how they translate at the level of microbial ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunjan Gupta
- Département des Sciences des aliments, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels (INAF), Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Amadou Ndiaye
- Département des Sciences des aliments, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels (INAF), Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Marie Filteau
- Département des Sciences des aliments, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels (INAF), Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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33
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Tudela H, Claus SP, Saleh M. Next Generation Microbiome Research: Identification of Keystone Species in the Metabolic Regulation of Host-Gut Microbiota Interplay. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:719072. [PMID: 34540837 PMCID: PMC8440917 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.719072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The community of the diverse microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract, known as the gut microbiota, is exceedingly being studied for its impact on health and disease. This community plays a major role in nutrient metabolism, maintenance of the intestinal epithelial barrier but also in local and systemic immunomodulation. A dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, characterized by an unbalanced microbial ecology, often leads to a loss of essential functions that may be associated with proinflammatory conditions. Specifically, some key microbes that are depleted in dysbiotic ecosystems, called keystone species, carry unique functions that are essential for the balance of the microbiota. In this review, we discuss current understanding of reported keystone species and their proposed functions in health. We also elaborate on current and future bioinformatics tools needed to identify missing functions in the gut carried by keystone species. We propose that the identification of such keystone species functions is a major step for the understanding of microbiome dynamics in disease and toward the development of microbiome-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héloïse Tudela
- YSOPIA Bioscience, Bordeaux, France
- ImmunoConcEpT, CNRS UMR 5164, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Maya Saleh
- ImmunoConcEpT, CNRS UMR 5164, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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34
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Steven B, Hyde J, LaReau JC, Brackney DE. The Axenic and Gnotobiotic Mosquito: Emerging Models for Microbiome Host Interactions. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:714222. [PMID: 34322111 PMCID: PMC8312643 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.714222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing availability of modern research tools has enabled a revolution in studies of non-model organisms. Yet, one aspect that remains difficult or impossible to control in many model and most non-model organisms is the presence and composition of the host-associated microbiota or the microbiome. In this review, we explore the development of axenic (microbe-free) mosquito models and what these systems reveal about the role of the microbiome in mosquito biology. Additionally, the axenic host is a blank template on which a microbiome of known composition can be introduced, also known as a gnotobiotic organism. Finally, we identify a "most wanted" list of common mosquito microbiome members that show the greatest potential to influence host phenotypes. We propose that these are high-value targets to be employed in future gnotobiotic studies. The use of axenic and gnotobiotic organisms will transition the microbiome into another experimental variable that can be manipulated and controlled. Through these efforts, the mosquito will be a true model for examining host microbiome interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blaire Steven
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Josephine Hyde
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Jacquelyn C. LaReau
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Doug E. Brackney
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, United States
- Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, United States
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35
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Ibrahim M, Raajaraam L, Raman K. Modelling microbial communities: Harnessing consortia for biotechnological applications. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:3892-3907. [PMID: 34584635 PMCID: PMC8441623 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.06.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbes propagate and thrive in complex communities, and there are many benefits to studying and engineering microbial communities instead of single strains. Microbial communities are being increasingly leveraged in biotechnological applications, as they present significant advantages such as the division of labour and improved substrate utilisation. Nevertheless, they also present some interesting challenges to surmount for the design of efficient biotechnological processes. In this review, we discuss key principles of microbial interactions, followed by a deep dive into genome-scale metabolic models, focussing on a vast repertoire of constraint-based modelling methods that enable us to characterise and understand the metabolic capabilities of microbial communities. Complementary approaches to model microbial communities, such as those based on graph theory, are also briefly discussed. Taken together, these methods provide rich insights into the interactions between microbes and how they influence microbial community productivity. We finally overview approaches that allow us to generate and test numerous synthetic community compositions, followed by tools and methodologies that can predict effective genetic interventions to further improve the productivity of communities. With impending advancements in high-throughput omics of microbial communities, the stage is set for the rapid expansion of microbial community engineering, with a significant impact on biotechnological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maziya Ibrahim
- Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai 600 036, India
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems Medicine (IBSE), IIT Madras, Chennai 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), IIT Madras, Chennai 600 036, India
| | - Lavanya Raajaraam
- Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai 600 036, India
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems Medicine (IBSE), IIT Madras, Chennai 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), IIT Madras, Chennai 600 036, India
| | - Karthik Raman
- Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai 600 036, India
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems Medicine (IBSE), IIT Madras, Chennai 600 036, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), IIT Madras, Chennai 600 036, India
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Huws SA, Edwards JE, Lin W, Rubino F, Alston M, Swarbreck D, Caim S, Stevens PR, Pachebat J, Won MY, Oyama LB, Creevey CJ, Kingston-Smith AH. Microbiomes attached to fresh perennial ryegrass are temporally resilient and adapt to changing ecological niches. MICROBIOME 2021; 9:143. [PMID: 34154659 PMCID: PMC8215763 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01087-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gut microbiomes, such as the rumen, greatly influence host nutrition due to their feed energy-harvesting capacity. We investigated temporal ecological interactions facilitating energy harvesting at the fresh perennial ryegrass (PRG)-biofilm interface in the rumen using an in sacco approach and prokaryotic metatranscriptomic profiling. RESULTS Network analysis identified two distinct sub-microbiomes primarily representing primary (≤ 4 h) and secondary (≥ 4 h) colonisation phases and the most transcriptionally active bacterial families (i.e Fibrobacteriaceae, Selemondaceae and Methanobacteriaceae) did not interact with either sub-microbiome, indicating non-cooperative behaviour. Conversely, Prevotellaceae had most transcriptional activity within the primary sub-microbiome (focussed on protein metabolism) and Lachnospiraceae within the secondary sub-microbiome (focussed on carbohydrate degradation). Putative keystone taxa, with low transcriptional activity, were identified within both sub-microbiomes, highlighting the important synergistic role of minor bacterial families; however, we hypothesise that they may be 'cheating' in order to capitalise on the energy-harvesting capacity of other microbes. In terms of chemical cues underlying transition from primary to secondary colonisation phases, we suggest that AI-2-based quorum sensing plays a role, based on LuxS gene expression data, coupled with changes in PRG chemistry. CONCLUSIONS In summary, we show that fresh PRG-attached prokaryotes are resilient and adapt quickly to changing niches. This study provides the first major insight into the complex temporal ecological interactions occurring at the plant-biofilm interface within the rumen. The study also provides valuable insights into potential plant breeding strategies for development of the utopian plant, allowing optimal sustainable production of ruminants. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon A Huws
- Institute of Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK.
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3FG, UK.
| | - Joan E Edwards
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3FG, UK
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, 6708, Wageningen, WE, Netherlands
- Current work address: Palital Feed Additives, Velddriel, Netherlands
| | - Wanchang Lin
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3FG, UK
| | - Francesco Rubino
- Institute of Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | | | | | | | - Pauline Rees Stevens
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3FG, UK
| | - Justin Pachebat
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3FG, UK
| | - Mi-Young Won
- Institute of Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Linda B Oyama
- Institute of Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3FG, UK
| | - Christopher J Creevey
- Institute of Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3FG, UK
| | - Alison H Kingston-Smith
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3FG, UK
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Ecological drivers switch from bottom-up to top-down during model microbial community successions. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:1085-1097. [PMID: 33230267 PMCID: PMC8115227 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00833-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Bottom-up selection has an important role in microbial community assembly but is unable to account for all observed variance. Other processes like top-down selection (e.g., predation) may be partially responsible for the unexplained variance. However, top-down processes and their interaction with bottom-up selective pressures often remain unexplored. We utilised an in situ marine biofilm model system to test the effects of bottom-up (i.e., substrate properties) and top-down (i.e., large predator exclusion via 100 µm mesh) selective pressures on community assembly over time (56 days). Prokaryotic and eukaryotic community compositions were monitored using 16 S and 18 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Higher compositional variance was explained by growth substrate in early successional stages, but as biofilms mature, top-down predation becomes progressively more important. Wooden substrates promoted heterotrophic growth, whereas inert substrates' (i.e., plastic, glass, tile) lack of degradable material selected for autotrophs. Early wood communities contained more mixotrophs and heterotrophs (e.g., the total abundance of Proteobacteria and Euglenozoa was 34% and 41% greater within wood compared to inert substrates). Inert substrates instead showed twice the autotrophic abundance (e.g., cyanobacteria and ochrophyta made up 37% and 10% more of the total abundance within inert substrates than in wood). Late native (non-enclosed) communities were mostly dominated by autotrophs across all substrates, whereas high heterotrophic abundance characterised enclosed communities. Late communities were primarily under top-down control, where large predators successively pruned heterotrophs. Integrating a top-down control increased explainable variance by 7-52%, leading to increased understanding of the underlying ecological processes guiding multitrophic community assembly and successional dynamics.
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Mayo B, Rodríguez J, Vázquez L, Flórez AB. Microbial Interactions within the Cheese Ecosystem and Their Application to Improve Quality and Safety. Foods 2021; 10:602. [PMID: 33809159 PMCID: PMC8000492 DOI: 10.3390/foods10030602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The cheese microbiota comprises a consortium of prokaryotic, eukaryotic and viral populations, among which lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are majority components with a prominent role during manufacturing and ripening. The assortment, numbers and proportions of LAB and other microbial biotypes making up the microbiota of cheese are affected by a range of biotic and abiotic factors. Cooperative and competitive interactions between distinct members of the microbiota may occur, with rheological, organoleptic and safety implications for ripened cheese. However, the mechanistic details of these interactions, and their functional consequences, are largely unknown. Acquiring such knowledge is important if we are to predict when fermentations will be successful and understand the causes of technological failures. The experimental use of "synthetic" microbial communities might help throw light on the dynamics of different cheese microbiota components and the interplay between them. Although synthetic communities cannot reproduce entirely the natural microbial diversity in cheese, they could help reveal basic principles governing the interactions between microbial types and perhaps allow multi-species microbial communities to be developed as functional starters. By occupying the whole ecosystem taxonomically and functionally, microbiota-based cultures might be expected to be more resilient and efficient than conventional starters in the development of unique sensorial properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baltasar Mayo
- Departamento de Microbiología y Bioquímica, Instituto de Productos Lácteos de Asturias (IPLA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Paseo Río Linares s/n, 33300 Villaviciosa, Spain; (J.R.); (L.V.); (A.B.F.)
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Hahne J, Lipski A. Growth interferences between bacterial strains from raw cow's milk and their impact on growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 131:2019-2032. [PMID: 33660914 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The purpose of this study was to detect growth enhancing or inhibiting activity between bacterial populations from raw milk under different conditions (temperature, medium). METHODS AND RESULTS The interference of 24 raw milk isolates on growth of each other and on Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus luteus was screened by drop assay and for selected pairs in co-cultivation experiments. By drop assay, antibacterial activity was observed for 40% of the strains. About 30% of the strains showed growth-enhancing activity on other strains. Most of the isolates were well adapted to cold temperatures and showed consistent or even increased inhibiting or enhancing effects on growth of other strains at 10°C. The growth of L. monocytogenes DSM 20600T and S. aureus DSM 1104T was significantly (P < 0·05) reduced in co-cultivation with Pseudomonas protegens JZ R-192. CONCLUSIONS Growth interferences between bacterial populations have an impact on the structure of raw milk microbiota, especially when it develops under cold storage, and it may have an effect on the prevalence of certain foodborne pathogens. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This study demonstrates growth-inhibiting and also growth-enhancing interactions between raw milk bacteria, which must be considered when predicting bacterial growth and spoilage in food. A Ps. protegens strain isolated from raw milk showed an antagonistic effect on growth of L. monocytogenes in refrigerated raw milk.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Hahne
- Department of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Nutritional and Food Science, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - A Lipski
- Department of Food Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Nutritional and Food Science, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Jeong SY, Kim TG. Spatial Variance of Species Distribution Predicts the Interspecies Interactions within a Microbial Metacommunity. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2021; 81:549-552. [PMID: 32948906 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-020-01603-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Interspecies interactions have a profound influence on spatial distribution of coexisting microbial species. We explored whether spatial variance of species distribution (SVSD) predicts the degree of interspecies interactions within a microbial metacommunity. Simulations were used to determine the relationships from random, lake, soil, and biofilm metacommunity datasets (1,000 times). All of the bacterial datasets showed a negative correlation between the habitat breadth (inverse to SVSD) and the numbers of total, positive, and negative interspecies interactions (P < 0.05); the only exception was the relationship between habitat breadth and negative interactions in the biofilm dataset. The random dataset had no significant relationships (P > 0.05). We repeated the simulations to determine the degree of correlation and reproducibility (100 times). Habitat breadth was negatively correlated with the total and positive interactions in all of the real datasets (P < 0.05), and the negative relationships persisted across repetitions. Despite variability in the slope of total interactions, the slope values of positive interactions were similar for the real datasets (- 19.9, - 19.2, and - 25.8 for lake, soil, and biofilm, respectively). In conclusion, our results demonstrate the patterns of species interaction-distribution and show that interspecies interactions are positively correlated with the SVSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- So-Yeon Jeong
- Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, South Korea
| | - Tae Gwan Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Pusan, 46241, South Korea.
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Extracellular Metabolism Sets the Table for Microbial Cross-Feeding. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2021; 85:85/1/e00135-20. [PMID: 33441489 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00135-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The transfer of nutrients between cells, or cross-feeding, is a ubiquitous feature of microbial communities with emergent properties that influence our health and orchestrate global biogeochemical cycles. Cross-feeding inevitably involves the externalization of molecules. Some of these molecules directly serve as cross-fed nutrients, while others can facilitate cross-feeding. Altogether, externalized molecules that promote cross-feeding are diverse in structure, ranging from small molecules to macromolecules. The functions of these molecules are equally diverse, encompassing waste products, enzymes, toxins, signaling molecules, biofilm components, and nutrients of high value to most microbes, including the producer cell. As diverse as the externalized and transferred molecules are the cross-feeding relationships that can be derived from them. Many cross-feeding relationships can be summarized as cooperative but are also subject to exploitation. Even those relationships that appear to be cooperative exhibit some level of competition between partners. In this review, we summarize the major types of actively secreted, passively excreted, and directly transferred molecules that either form the basis of cross-feeding relationships or facilitate them. Drawing on examples from both natural and synthetic communities, we explore how the interplay between microbial physiology, environmental parameters, and the diverse functional attributes of extracellular molecules can influence cross-feeding dynamics. Though microbial cross-feeding interactions represent a burgeoning field of interest, we may have only begun to scratch the surface.
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Machado D, Maistrenko OM, Andrejev S, Kim Y, Bork P, Patil KR, Patil KR. Polarization of microbial communities between competitive and cooperative metabolism. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:195-203. [PMID: 33398106 PMCID: PMC7610595 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01353-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Resource competition and metabolic cross-feeding are among the main drivers of microbial community assembly. Yet the degree to which these two conflicting forces are reflected in the composition of natural communities has not been systematically investigated. Here, we use genome-scale metabolic modelling to assess the potential for resource competition and metabolic cooperation in large co-occurring groups (up to 40 members) across thousands of habitats. Our analysis reveals two distinct community types, which are clustered at opposite ends of a spectrum in a trade-off between competition and cooperation. At one end are highly cooperative communities, characterized by smaller genomes and multiple auxotrophies. At the other end are highly competitive communities, which feature larger genomes and overlapping nutritional requirements, and harbour more genes related to antimicrobial activity. The latter are mainly present in soils, whereas the former are found in both free-living and host-associated habitats. Community-scale flux simulations show that, whereas competitive communities can better resist species invasion but not nutrient shift, cooperative communities are susceptible to species invasion but resilient to nutrient change. We also show, by analysing an additional data set, that colonization by probiotic species is positively associated with the presence of cooperative species in the recipient microbiome. Together, our results highlight the bifurcation between competitive and cooperative metabolism in the assembly of natural communities and its implications for community modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Machado
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Sergej Andrejev
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yongkyu Kim
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Peer Bork
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kaustubh R Patil
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain and Behaviour (INM-7), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Kiran R Patil
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany. .,Medical Research Council (MRC) Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Abstract
Freshwater iron mats are dynamic geochemical environments with broad ecological diversity, primarily formed by the iron-oxidizing bacteria. The community features functional groups involved in biogeochemical cycles for iron, sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen. Despite this complexity, iron mat communities provide an excellent model system for exploring microbial ecological interactions and ecological theories in situ Syntrophies and competition between the functional groups in iron mats, how they connect cycles, and the maintenance of these communities by taxons outside bacteria (the eukaryota, archaea, and viruses) have been largely unstudied. Here, we review what is currently known about freshwater iron mat communities, the taxa that reside there, and the interactions between these organisms, and we propose ways in which future studies may uncover exciting new discoveries. For example, the archaea in these mats may play a greater role than previously thought as they are diverse and widespread in iron mats based on 16S rRNA genes and include methanogenic taxa. Studies with a holistic view of the iron mat community members focusing on their diverse interactions will expand our understanding of community functions, such as those involved in pollution removal. To begin addressing questions regarding the fundamental interactions and to identify the conditions in which they occur, more laboratory culturing techniques and coculture studies, more network and keystone species analyses, and the expansion of studies to more freshwater iron mat systems are necessary. Increasingly accessible bioinformatic, geochemical, and culturing tools now open avenues to address the questions that we pose herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chequita N Brooks
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Erin K Field
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
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Metabolic Feedback Inhibition Influences Metabolite Secretion by the Human Gut Symbiont Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. mSystems 2020; 5:5/5/e00252-20. [PMID: 32873608 PMCID: PMC7470985 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00252-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteroides is a highly abundant taxon in the human gut, and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. theta) is a ubiquitous human symbiont that colonizes the host early in development and persists throughout its life span. The phenotypic plasticity of keystone organisms such as B. theta is important to understand in order to predict phenotype(s) and metabolic interactions under changing nutrient conditions such as those that occur in complex gut communities. Our study shows B. theta prioritizes energy conservation and suppresses secretion of “overflow metabolites” such as organic acids and amino acids when concentrations of acetate are high. Secreted metabolites, especially amino acids, can be a source of nutrients or signals for the host or other microbes in the community. Our study suggests that when metabolically stressed by acetate, B. theta stops sharing with its ecological partners. Microbial metabolism and trophic interactions between microbes give rise to complex multispecies communities in microbe-host systems. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. theta) is a human gut symbiont thought to play an important role in maintaining host health. Untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics revealed B. theta secretes specific organic acids and amino acids in defined minimal medium. Physiological concentrations of acetate and formate found in the human intestinal tract were shown to cause dose-dependent changes in secretion of metabolites known to play roles in host nutrition and pathogenesis. While secretion fluxes varied, biomass yield was unchanged, suggesting feedback inhibition does not affect metabolic bioenergetics but instead redirects carbon and energy to CO2 and H2. Flux balance analysis modeling showed increased flux through CO2-producing reactions under glucose-limiting growth conditions. The metabolic dynamics observed for B. theta, a keystone symbiont organism, underscores the need for metabolic modeling to complement genomic predictions of microbial metabolism to infer mechanisms of microbe-microbe and microbe-host interactions. IMPORTANCEBacteroides is a highly abundant taxon in the human gut, and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. theta) is a ubiquitous human symbiont that colonizes the host early in development and persists throughout its life span. The phenotypic plasticity of keystone organisms such as B. theta is important to understand in order to predict phenotype(s) and metabolic interactions under changing nutrient conditions such as those that occur in complex gut communities. Our study shows B. theta prioritizes energy conservation and suppresses secretion of “overflow metabolites” such as organic acids and amino acids when concentrations of acetate are high. Secreted metabolites, especially amino acids, can be a source of nutrients or signals for the host or other microbes in the community. Our study suggests that when metabolically stressed by acetate, B. theta stops sharing with its ecological partners.
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Tamarit D, Andersson SGE. Rethinking microbial symbioses. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2020; 367:5810346. [PMID: 32193538 PMCID: PMC7082701 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Tamarit
- Molecular Evolution, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 752 37, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Siv G E Andersson
- Molecular Evolution, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 752 37, Uppsala, Sweden
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