Fluid flow structures gut microbiota biofilm communities by distributing public goods.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 120(25): e2217577120, 2023 06 20.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37307459
ABSTRACT
Bacterial gut commensals experience a biologically and physically complex mucosal environment. While many chemical factors mediate the composition and structure of these microbial communities, less is known about the role of mechanics. Here, we demonstrate that fluid flow impacts the spatial organization and composition of gut biofilm communities by shaping how different species interact metabolically. We first demonstrate that a model community composed of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (Bt) and Bacteroides fragilis (Bf), two representative human commensals, can form robust biofilms in flow. We identified dextran as a polysaccharide readily metabolized by Bt but not Bf, but whose fermentation generates a public good enabling Bf growth. By combining simulations with experiments, we demonstrate that in flow, Bt biofilms share dextran metabolic by-products, promoting Bf biofilm formation. By transporting this public good, flow structures the spatial organization of the community, positioning the Bf population downstream from Bt. We show that sufficiently strong flows abolish Bf biofilm formation by limiting the effective public good concentration at the surface. Physical factors such as flow may therefore contribute to the composition of intestinal microbial communities, potentially impacting host health.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Microbiota
/
Microbioma Gastrointestinal
/
Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article