Enhanced surface colonisation and competition during bacterial adaptation to a fungus
Nature Communications, vol. 15, pp. 4486
Abstract
Bacterial-fungal interactions influence microbial community performance of most ecosystems and elicit specific microbial behaviours, including stimulating specialised metabolite production. Here, we use a co-culture experimental evolution approach to investigate bacterial adaptation to the presence of a fungus, using a simple model of bacterial-fungal interactions encompassing the bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the fungus Aspergillus niger. We find in one evolving population that B. subtilis was selected for enhanced production of the lipopeptide surfactin and accelerated surface spreading ability, leading to inhibition of fungal expansion and acidification of the environment. These phenotypes were explained by specific mutations in the DegS-DegU two-component system. In the presence of surfactin, fungal hyphae exhibited bulging cells with delocalised secretory vesicles possibly provoking an RlmA-dependent cell wall stress. Thus, our results indicate that the presence of the fungus selects for increased surfactin production, which inhibits fungal growth and facilitates the competitive success of the bacterium.
Authors 21
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Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie e. V. - Hans-Knöll-Institut (HKI) · Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Affiliation as printed
Department Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Hans-Knöll-Institute, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Jena, Germany
Terrestrial Biofilms Group, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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BGI Group (China) · China National GeneBank · BGI Genomics · BGI Research · Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
Bacterial Interactions and Evolution Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Environmental Microbial Genomics and Application, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
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Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Affiliation as printed
Terrestrial Biofilms Group, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
Bacterial Interactions and Evolution Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
Natural Product Discovery Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
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Agency for Science, Technology and Research · Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation · Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
Natural Product Discovery Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
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Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
Bacterial Interactions and Evolution Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
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Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Affiliation as printed
Terrestrial Biofilms Group, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Affiliation as printed
Terrestrial Biofilms Group, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
Natural Product Discovery Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
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Goethe University Frankfurt · Netherlands Institute of Ecology · University Hospital Frankfurt
Affiliation as printed
Department of Internal Medicine I, Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany
Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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BGI Group (China) · China National GeneBank
Affiliation as printed
BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
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Netherlands Institute of Ecology
Affiliation as printed
Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
Natural Product Discovery Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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HUN-REN Szegedi Biológiai Kutatóközpont · Institute of Plant Biology · Hungarian Research Network
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Szeged, Hungary
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Leiden University · Friedrich Schiller University Jena · Technical University of Denmark
Affiliation as printed
Bacterial Interactions and Evolution Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark. a.t.kovacs@biology.leidenuniv.nl
Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands. a.t.kovacs@biology.leidenuniv.nl
Terrestrial Biofilms Group, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany. a.t.kovacs@biology.leidenuniv.nl
Bacterial Interactions and Evolution Group, DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
Terrestrial Biofilms Group, Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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