Bacillus subtilis attachment to Aspergillus niger hyphae results in mutually altered metabolism. (15th August 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Benoit, Isabelle; van den Esker, Marielle H.; Patyshakuliyeva, Aleksandrina; Mattern, Derek J.; Blei, Felix; Zhou, Miaomiao; Dijksterhuis, Jan; Brakhage, Axel A.; Kuipers, Oscar P.; de Vries, Ronald P.; Kovács, Ákos T.
• Is Part Of: Environmental microbiology. Volume 17:Number 6(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 2099
• Page End: 2113
• Publication Date: 2014-08-15
• Subjects: Microbial ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental Microbiology -- Periodicals; 579.17
• DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12564
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-2912

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Interaction between microbes affects the growth, metabolism and differentiation of members of the microbial community. While direct and indirect competition, like antagonism and nutrient consumption have a negative effect on the interacting members of the population, microbes have also evolved in nature not only to fight, but in some cases to adapt to or support each other, while increasing the fitness of the community. The presence of bacteria and fungi in soil results in various interactions including mutualism. Bacilli attach to the plant root and form complex communities in the rhizosphere. <italic>B</italic><italic>acillus subtilis</italic>, when grown in the presence of <italic>A</italic><italic>spergillus niger</italic>, interacts similarly with the fungus, by attaching and growing on the hyphae. Based on data obtained in a dual transcriptome experiment, we suggest that both fungi and bacteria alter their metabolism during this interaction. Interestingly, the transcription of genes related to the antifungal and putative antibacterial defence mechanism of <italic>B</italic><italic>. subtilis</italic> and <italic>A</italic><italic>. niger</italic>, respectively, are decreased upon attachment of bacteria to the mycelia. Analysis of the culture supernatant suggests that surfactin production by <italic>B</italic><italic>. subtilis</italic> was reduced when the bacterium was co‐cultivated with the fungus. Our experiments provide new insights into the interaction between a bacterium and a fungus.</p> </abstract>