Surviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>

ABSTRACT Natural habitats vary in available nutrients and room for bacteria to grow, but successful colonization can lead to overcrowding and stress. Here we show that competing sibling colonies of Paenibacillus dendritiformis bacteria survive overcrowding by switching between two distinct vegetativ...

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Autores principales:	Avraham Be’er, E.-L. Florin, Carolyn R. Fisher, Harry L. Swinney, Shelley M. Payne
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	American Society for Microbiology 2011
Materias:	Microbiology QR1-502
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/3a8f0eb5bdf14aaab562a64975bff172
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:3a8f0eb5bdf14aaab562a64975bff1722021-11-15T15:38:49ZSurviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>10.1128/mBio.00069-112150-7511https://doaj.org/article/3a8f0eb5bdf14aaab562a64975bff1722011-07-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.00069-11https://doaj.org/toc/2150-7511ABSTRACT Natural habitats vary in available nutrients and room for bacteria to grow, but successful colonization can lead to overcrowding and stress. Here we show that competing sibling colonies of Paenibacillus dendritiformis bacteria survive overcrowding by switching between two distinct vegetative phenotypes, motile rods and immotile cocci. Growing colonies of the rod-shaped bacteria produce a toxic protein, Slf, which kills cells of encroaching sibling colonies. However, sublethal concentrations of Slf induce some of the rods to switch to Slf-resistant cocci, which have distinct metabolic and resistance profiles, including resistance to cell wall antibiotics. Unlike dormant spores of P. dendritiformis, the cocci replicate. If cocci encounter conditions that favor rods, they secrete a signaling molecule that induces a switch to rods. Thus, in contrast to persister cells, P. dendritiformis bacteria adapt to changing environmental conditions by inducible and reversible phenotypic switching. IMPORTANCE In favorable environments, species may face space and nutrient limits due to overcrowding. Bacteria provide an excellent model for analyzing principles underlying overcrowding and regulation of density in nature, since their population dynamics can be easily and accurately assessed under controlled conditions. We describe a newly discovered mechanism for survival of a bacterial population during overcrowding. When competing with sibling colonies, Paenibacillus dendritiformis produces a lethal protein (Slf) that kills cells at the interface of encroaching colonies. Slf also induces a small proportion of the cells to switch from motile, rod-shaped cells to nonmotile, Slf-resistant, vegetative cocci. When crowding is reduced and nutrients are no longer limiting, the bacteria produce a signal that induces cocci to switch back to motile rods, allowing the population to spread. Genes encoding components of this phenotypic switching pathway are widespread among bacterial species, suggesting that this survival mechanism is not unique to P. dendritiformis.Avraham Be’erE.-L. FlorinCarolyn R. FisherHarry L. SwinneyShelley M. PayneAmerican Society for MicrobiologyarticleMicrobiologyQR1-502ENmBio, Vol 2, Iss 3 (2011)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Microbiology QR1-502
spellingShingle	Microbiology QR1-502 Avraham Be’er E.-L. Florin Carolyn R. Fisher Harry L. Swinney Shelley M. Payne Surviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>
description	ABSTRACT Natural habitats vary in available nutrients and room for bacteria to grow, but successful colonization can lead to overcrowding and stress. Here we show that competing sibling colonies of Paenibacillus dendritiformis bacteria survive overcrowding by switching between two distinct vegetative phenotypes, motile rods and immotile cocci. Growing colonies of the rod-shaped bacteria produce a toxic protein, Slf, which kills cells of encroaching sibling colonies. However, sublethal concentrations of Slf induce some of the rods to switch to Slf-resistant cocci, which have distinct metabolic and resistance profiles, including resistance to cell wall antibiotics. Unlike dormant spores of P. dendritiformis, the cocci replicate. If cocci encounter conditions that favor rods, they secrete a signaling molecule that induces a switch to rods. Thus, in contrast to persister cells, P. dendritiformis bacteria adapt to changing environmental conditions by inducible and reversible phenotypic switching. IMPORTANCE In favorable environments, species may face space and nutrient limits due to overcrowding. Bacteria provide an excellent model for analyzing principles underlying overcrowding and regulation of density in nature, since their population dynamics can be easily and accurately assessed under controlled conditions. We describe a newly discovered mechanism for survival of a bacterial population during overcrowding. When competing with sibling colonies, Paenibacillus dendritiformis produces a lethal protein (Slf) that kills cells at the interface of encroaching colonies. Slf also induces a small proportion of the cells to switch from motile, rod-shaped cells to nonmotile, Slf-resistant, vegetative cocci. When crowding is reduced and nutrients are no longer limiting, the bacteria produce a signal that induces cocci to switch back to motile rods, allowing the population to spread. Genes encoding components of this phenotypic switching pathway are widespread among bacterial species, suggesting that this survival mechanism is not unique to P. dendritiformis.
format	article
author	Avraham Be’er E.-L. Florin Carolyn R. Fisher Harry L. Swinney Shelley M. Payne
author_facet	Avraham Be’er E.-L. Florin Carolyn R. Fisher Harry L. Swinney Shelley M. Payne
author_sort	Avraham Be’er
title	Surviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>
title_short	Surviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>
title_full	Surviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>
title_fullStr	Surviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>
title_full_unstemmed	Surviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>
title_sort	surviving bacterial sibling rivalry: inducible and reversible phenotypic switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>
publisher	American Society for Microbiology
publishDate	2011
url	https://doaj.org/article/3a8f0eb5bdf14aaab562a64975bff172
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Surviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Paenibacillus dendritiformis</named-content>

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