Survival of the weakest in non-transitive asymmetric interactions among strains of E. coli

Michael J. Liao, Arianna Miano, Chloe B. Nguyen, Lin Chao and Jeff Hasty ()
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Michael J. Liao: University of California, San Diego
Arianna Miano: University of California, San Diego
Chloe B. Nguyen: University of California, San Diego
Lin Chao: University of California, San Diego
Jeff Hasty: University of California, San Diego

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Hierarchical organization in ecology, whereby interactions are nested in a manner that leads to a dominant species, naturally result in the exclusion of all but the dominant competitor. Alternatively, non-hierarchical competitive dynamics, such as cyclical interactions, can sustain biodiversity. Here, we designed a simple microbial community with three strains of E. coli that cyclically interact through (i) the inhibition of protein production, (ii) the digestion of genomic DNA, and (iii) the disruption of the cell membrane. We find that intrinsic differences in these three major mechanisms of bacterial warfare lead to an unbalanced community that is dominated by the weakest strain. We also use a computational model to describe how the relative toxin strengths, initial fractional occupancies, and spatial patterns affect the maintenance of biodiversity. The engineering of active warfare between microbial species establishes a framework for exploration of the underlying principles that drive complex ecological interactions.

Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-19963-8

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19963-8

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