Context-dependent siderophore exploitability shapes microbial community structure

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Abstract

1) Abstract Siderophores are classically viewed as shared iron-scavenging public goods, yet their ecological roles in multispecies communities remain poorly defined. Here, we establish a synthetic microbial community to dissect how different siderophores, their uptake compatibility and spatial structure shape iron competition. Using Corynebacterium glutamicum as a model, we show that this siderophore non-producer accesses diverse xenosiderophores, including enterobactin secreted by Escherichia coli . However, exploitation was constrained and co-cultures converged to stable compositions. Dose-response experiments combined with mathematical modelling indicated that the producer retains more effective access to enterobactin than the exploiter. Presence of Pseudomonas putida altered this interaction, as it exploited enterobactin while producing pyoverdine, a siderophore inaccessible to the other community members that restricted their iron access. Across different cultivation scales, community dynamics was strongly influenced by spatial organization and initial composition. These findings identify siderophores as context-dependent iron-allocation agents that can promote microbial coexistence or exclusion.

Authors 17

1. S G Paik

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Molecular Enzyme Technology, IMET, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany

2. Michelle Bund

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Bio- and Geosciences 1, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany

3. Matthias Pesch

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Bio- and Geosciences 1, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany

4. Stephan Krueger

   Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

   Affiliation as printed

   CEPLAS Metabolism and Metabolomics Laboratory, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

5. Benita Lueckel

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Bio- and Geosciences 1, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany

6. Athanasios Papadopoulos

   Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

   Affiliation as printed

   Center for Structural Studies, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

7. Johanna Wiechert

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Bio- and Geosciences 1, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany

8. Tanvir Hassan Aachen Computational Life Science Department of Biology

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Computational Life Science, Department of Biology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

9. Romain Avellan Aachen Institute of Biology, Leiden University

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

10. Sander H. J. Smits

    Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Structural Studies, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

11. Michael H. Bott

    Forschungszentrum Jülich

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Bio- and Geosciences 1, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany

12. Ákos T. Kovács Aachen Institute of Biology, Leiden University

    Leiden University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

13. Philipp Westhoff

    Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

    Affiliation as printed

    CEPLAS Metabolism and Metabolomics Laboratory, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

14. Anna Matuszyńska Aachen Computational Life Science Department of Biology

    RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Computational Life Science, Department of Biology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

15. Dietrich Kohlheyer

    Forschungszentrum Jülich

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Bio- and Geosciences 1, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany

16. Thomas Drepper

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Molecular Enzyme Technology, IMET, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany

17. Julia Frunzke corresponding

    Forschungszentrum Jülich · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute for Bio- and Geosciences 1, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany

    Institute for Microbial Interactions, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany