Biotic Interactions Shape the Ecological Distributions of Staphylococcus Species.

ABSTRACT: Many metagenomic sequencing studies have observed the presence of closely related bacterial species or genotypes in the same microbiome. Previous attempts to explain these patterns of microdiversity have focused on the abiotic environment, but few have considered how biotic interactions could drive patterns of microbiome diversity. We dissected the patterns, processes, and mechanisms shaping the ecological distributions of three closely related Staphylococcus species in cheese rind biofilms. Paradoxically, the most abundant species (S. equorum) is the slowest colonizer and weakest competitor based on growth and competition assays in the laboratory. Through in vitro community reconstructions, we determined that biotic interactions with neighboring fungi help resolve this paradox. Species-sp

SUBMITTER: Kastman EK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5082897 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature