Positive linkage between bacterial social traits reveals that homogeneous rather than specialised behavioral repertoires prevail in natural Pseudomonas communities.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria frequently cooperate by sharing secreted metabolites such as enzymes and siderophores. The expression of such 'public good' traits can be interdependent, and studies on laboratory systems have shown that trait linkage affects eco-evolutionary dynamics within bacterial communities. Here, we examine whether linkage among social traits occurs in natural habitats by examining investment levels and correlations between five public goods (biosurfactants, biofilm components, proteases, pyoverdines and toxic compounds) in 315 Pseudomonas isolates from soil and freshwater communities. Our phenotypic assays revealed that (i) social trait expression profiles varied dramatically; (ii) correlations between traits were frequent, exclusively positive and sometimes habitat-specific; and (iii) het

SUBMITTER: Kramer J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7116564 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature