Three-dimensional Biofilm Colony Growth Supports a Mutualism Involving Matrix and Nutrient Sharing

Overview

Journal Elife

Specialty Biology

Date 2021 Feb 17

PMID 33594973

Citations 9

Authors

Heidi A Arjes

Lisa Willis

Haiwen Gui

Yangbo Xiao

Jason Peters

Carol Gross

Kerwyn Casey Huang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Life in a three-dimensional biofilm is typical for many bacteria, yet little is known about how strains interact in this context. Here, we created essential gene CRISPR interference knockdown libraries in biofilm-forming and measured competitive fitness during colony co-culture with wild type. Partial knockdown of some translation-related genes reduced growth rates and led to out-competition. Media composition led some knockdowns to compete differentially as biofilm versus non-biofilm colonies. Cells depleted for the alanine racemase AlrA died in monoculture but survived in a biofilm colony co-culture via nutrient sharing. Rescue was enhanced in biofilm colony co-culture with a matrix-deficient parent due to a mutualism involving nutrient and matrix sharing. We identified several examples of mutualism involving matrix sharing that occurred in three-dimensional biofilm colonies but not when cultured in two dimensions. Thus, growth in a three-dimensional colony can promote genetic diversity through sharing of secreted factors and may drive evolution of mutualistic behavior.

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