Initial community composition determines the long-term dynamics of a microbial cross-feeding interaction by modulating niche availability.

ABSTRACT: Multi-step substrate consumption pathways can promote microbial biodiversity via cross-feeding. If one cell type preferentially consumes a primary substrate rather than the subsequently formed intermediates, then other cell types can specialize in consuming the intermediates. While this mechanism for promoting biodiversity is established, predicting the long-term persistence of such cross-feeding interactions remains challenging. Under what conditions will the interaction (and thus biodiversity) persist or disappear? To address this question, we propagated co-cultures of two isogenic strains of the bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri. One completely reduces nitrate to nitrogen gas but preferentially reduces nitrate rather than nitrite (referred to as the generalist), while the other only reduce

SUBMITTER: Dolinsek J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9723679 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature