Project description:Microbial consortia consist of a multitude of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Their interaction is critical for the functioning of ecosystems. Until now, there is limited knowledge about the communication signals determining the interaction between bacteria and fungi and how they influence microbial consortia. Here, we discovered that bacterial low molecular weight arginine-derived polyketides trigger the production of distinct natural products in fungi. These compounds are produced by actinomycetes found on all continents except Antarctica and are characterized by an arginine-derived positively charged group linked to a linear or cyclic polyene moiety. Producer bacteria can be readily isolated from soil as well as fungi that decode the signal and respond with the biosynthesis of natural products. Both arginine-derived polyketides and the compounds produced by fungi in response shape microbial interactions.
Project description:Carbendazim (Methyl benzimidazol-2-ylcarbamate; MBC) is an antimitotic drug used for broad-spectrum fungicide, antineoplastic and mutagen in microbial breeding. Using a customized SNP microarray technology, this work revealed the effect of MBC on genomic instability (loss of heterozygosity, chromosomal rearrangements and aneuploidy) in the diploid yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae JSC25.
2018-03-21 | GSE112062 | GEO
Project description:Indigenous synergetic microalgae-bacteria consortia in harsh low C/N ratio wastewater
Project description:Synthetic microbial consortia represent a new frontier for synthetic biology given that they can solve more complex problems than monocultures. However, most attempts to co-cultivate these artificial communities fail because of the ‘‘winner-takes-all’’ in nutrients competition. In soil, multiple species can coexist with a spatial organization. Inspired by nature, here we show that an engineered spatial segregation method can assemble stable consortia with both flexibility and precision. We create microbial swarmbot consortia (MSBC) by encapsulating subpopulations with polymeric microcapsules. The crosslinked structure of microcapsules fences microbes, but allows the transport of small molecules and proteins. MSBC method enables the assembly of various synthetic communities and the precise control over the subpopulations. These capabilities can readily modulate the division of labor and communication. Our work integrates the synthetic biology and material science to offer new insights into consortia assembly and server as foundation to diverse applications from biomanufacturing to engineered photosynthesis.
Project description:Metaproteomics enables the description of microbial communities (MC). Microbial adaptation to changing environments is conducted by expressing newly synthesized proteins (nP) that can be difficult to distinguish from background proteins. Focusing on nP would add a new dimension to the metaproteomics of MC. Bioorthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) is a promising approach to label nP without significantly influencing the natural behavior of MC. However, direct detection of the BONCAT-labeled nP is limited due to their low abundance compared to total protein. Consequently, enrichment of the BONCAT-labeled nP is essential. We present a workflow using click chemistry (CC) and affinity chromatography to isolate nP from MC. The workflow was developed using a mixture of E. coli (labeled) and yeast (unlabeled control) as a test system. The established workflow was also applied to an MC of a laboratory biogas reactor (LBR).
Project description:Microbial coexistence in complex communities requires mechanisms that minimize competition and optimize resource use. Here, we show that bacteria modulate protein abundance in response to specific community members, reducing functional redundancy and promoting metabolic complementarity. Using synthetic gut-derived consortia exposed to distinct carbon sources, we systematically profiled proteomic responses of individual species across isolate, pairwise, and four-member communities. We found that biotic interactions, rather than abiotic conditions, were the dominant drivers of proteomic variation. These interactions led to reproducible, partner-specific expression shifts that significantly reduced functional overlap and were frequently associated with increased community productivity. Our findings reveal that microbes dynamically reshape their realized niche through protein abundance plasticity, enabling them to partition metabolic space and stabilize community structure. This study provides a mechanistic link between microbial interaction networks, regulatory flexibility, and coexistence, offering a generalizable framework for understanding and engineering functional microbial ecosystems.
Project description:Microbial coexistence in complex communities requires mechanisms that minimize competition and optimize resource use. Here, we show that bacteria modulate protein abundance in response to specific community members, reducing functional redundancy and promoting metabolic complementarity. Using synthetic gut-derived consortia exposed to distinct carbon sources, we systematically profiled proteomic responses of individual species across isolate, pairwise, and four-member communities. We found that biotic interactions, rather than abiotic conditions, were the dominant drivers of proteomic variation. These interactions led to reproducible, partner-specific expression shifts that significantly reduced functional overlap and were frequently associated with increased community productivity. Our findings reveal that microbes dynamically reshape their realized niche through protein abundance plasticity, enabling them to partition metabolic space and stabilize community structure. This study provides a mechanistic link between microbial interaction networks, regulatory flexibility, and coexistence, offering a generalizable framework for understanding and engineering functional microbial ecosystems.