The trade-off between individual metabolic specialization and versatility determines the metabolic efficiency of microbial communities.
Cell Syst
; 15(1): 63-74.e5, 2024 01 17.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38237552
ABSTRACT
In microbial systems, a metabolic pathway can be either completed by one autonomous population or distributed among a consortium performing metabolic division of labor (MDOL). MDOL facilitates the system's function by reducing the metabolic burden; however, it may hinder the function by reducing the exchange efficiency of metabolic intermediates among individuals. As a result, the function of a community is influenced by the trade-offs between the metabolic specialization and versatility of individuals. To experimentally test this hypothesis, we deconstructed the naphthalene degradation pathway into four steps and introduced them individually or combinatorically into different strains with varying levels of metabolic specialization. Using these strains, we engineered 1,456 synthetic consortia and found that 74 consortia exhibited higher degradation function than both the autonomous population and rigorous MDOL consortium. Quantitative modeling provides general strategies for identifying the most effective MDOL configuration. Our study provides critical insights into the engineering of high-performance microbial systems.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Microbial Consortia
/
Microbiota
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Cell Syst
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Suiza
Country of publication:
Estados Unidos