Subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations mediate nutrient use and competition among soil streptomyces.

ABSTRACT: Though traditionally perceived as weapons, antibiotics are also hypothesized to act as microbial signals in natural habitats. However, while subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics (SICA) are known to shift bacterial gene expression, specific hypotheses as to how SICA influence the ecology of natural populations are scarce. We explored whether antibiotic 'signals', or SICA, have the potential to alter nutrient utilization, niche overlap, and competitive species interactions among Streptomyces populations in soil. For nine diverse Streptomyces isolates, we evaluated nutrient utilization patterns on 95 different nutrient sources in the presence and absence of subinhibitory concentrations of five antibiotics. There were significant changes in nutrient use among Streptomyces isolates, incl

SUBMITTER: Vaz Jauri P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3855208 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature