Klebsiella and Providencia emerge as lone survivors following long-term starvation of oral microbiota.

ABSTRACT: It is well-understood that many bacteria have evolved to survive catastrophic events using a variety of mechanisms, which include expression of stress-response genes, quiescence, necrotrophy, and metabolic advantages obtained through mutation. However, the dynamics of individuals leveraging these abilities to gain a competitive advantage in an ecologically complex setting remain unstudied. In this study, we observed the saliva microbiome throughout the ecological perturbation of long-term starvation, allowing only the species best equipped to access and use the limited resources to survive. During the first several days, the community underwent a death phase that resulted in a ∼50-100-fold reduction in the number of viable cells. Interestingly, after this death phase, only three species, <

SUBMITTER: Baker JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6486781 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature