Eco-evolutionary modelling of microbial syntrophy indicates the robustness of cross-feeding over cross-facilitation.

ABSTRACT: Syntrophic cooperation among prokaryotes is ubiquitous and diverse. It relies on unilateral or mutual aid that may be both catalytic and metabolic in nature. Hypotheses of eukaryotic origins claim that mitochondrial endosymbiosis emerged from mutually beneficial syntrophy of archaeal and bacterial partners. However, there are no other examples of prokaryotic syntrophy leading to endosymbiosis. One potential reason is that when externalized products become public goods, they incite social conflict due to selfish mutants that may undermine any mutualistic interactions. To rigorously evaluate these arguments, here we construct a general mathematical framework of the ecology and evolution of different types of syntrophic partnerships. We do so both in a general microbial and in a eukaryogeneti

SUBMITTER: Boza G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9845244 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature