Divergent molecular strategies drive evolutionary adaptation to competitive fitness in biofilm formation.

ABSTRACT: Biofilm is a group of heterogeneously structured and densely packed bacteria with limited access to nutrients and oxygen. These intrinsic features can allow a mono-species biofilm to diversify into polymorphic subpopulations, determining the overall community's adaptive capability to changing ecological niches. However, the specific biological functions underlying biofilm diversification and fitness adaptation are poorly demonstrated. Here, we launched and monitored the experimental evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms, finding that two divergent molecular trajectories were adopted for adaptation to higher competitive fitness in biofilm formation: one involved hijacking bacteriophage superinfection to aggressively inhibit kin competitors, whereas the other induced a subtle change i

SUBMITTER: Tang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11307329 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature