Antibiotics and the art of bacterial war

Cornforth, Daniel M.; Foster, Kevin R.

doi:10.1073/pnas.1513608112

Cited by 47 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Microbial ecology within an ecosystem involves a cross-talk among its inhabitants. The growth and survival of microbes in any ecosystem are largely governed by their chemical environments, and microbes have evolved the ability to adapt and utilize different chemicals through specific genes (72, 73). Alterations (good and bad) in the microbial equilibrium of the gut microbiome do occur.…”

Section: The Microbiome As a Therapeutic Agentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Human Microbiome: The Potential Future Role of Next-Generation Sequencing in Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

et al. 2019

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The interaction between the human microbiome and immune system has an effect on several human metabolic functions and impacts our well-being. Additionally, the interaction between humans and microbes can also play a key role in determining the wellness or disease status of the human body. Dysbiosis is related to a plethora of diseases, including skin, inflammatory, metabolic, and neurological disorders. A better understanding of the host-microbe interaction is essential for determining the diagnosis and appropriate treatment of these ailments. The significance of the microbiome on host health has led to the emergence of new therapeutic approaches focused on the prescribed manipulation of the host microbiome, either by removing harmful taxa or reinstating missing beneficial taxa and the functional roles they perform. Culturing large numbers of microbial taxa in the laboratory is problematic at best, if not impossible. Consequently, this makes it very difficult to comprehensively catalog the individual members comprising a specific microbiome, as well as understanding how microbial communities function and influence host-pathogen interactions. Recent advances in sequencing technologies and computational tools have allowed an increasing number of metagenomic studies to be performed. These studies have provided key insights into the human microbiome and a host of other microbial communities in other environments. In the present review, the role of the microbiome as a therapeutic agent and its significance in human health and disease is discussed. Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies for surveying host-microbe interactions are also discussed. Additionally, the correlation between the composition of the microbiome and infectious diseases as described in previously reported studies is covered as well. Lastly, recent advances in state-of-the-art bioinformatics software, workflows, and applications for analysing metagenomic data are summarized.

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Section: The Microbiome As a Therapeutic Agentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Human Microbiome: The Potential Future Role of Next-Generation Sequencing in Disease Diagnosis and Treatment

et al. 2019

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“…Mechanisms for interbacterial competition are diverse, and both diffusible and contact-dependent strategies have been described ( 20 , 21 ). Diffusible mechanisms include bactericidal chemicals ( 22 , 23 ), as well as secreted antimicrobial proteins ( 17 ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Bacterial symbionts use a type VI secretion system to eliminate competitors in their natural host

Speare¹,

Cecere

Guckes

et al. 2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

154

252

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SignificanceCompetition among cooccurring bacteria can change the structure and function of a microbial community. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that impact such interactions in vivo. We used the association between bioluminescent bacteria and their squid host to study how environmentally transmitted bacteria compete for a limited number of host colonization sites. Our work suggests that Vibrio fischeri use a type VI secretion system, acting as a contact-dependent interbacterial “weapon,” to eliminate competing strains from cooccupying sites in the host. This work illuminates a mechanism by which strain-specific differences drive closely related bacteria to engage in lethal battles as they establish a beneficial symbiosis, revealing how genetic variation among potential colonizers directly impacts the spatial structure of the host-associated population.

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“…These species affect one another in many ways. Species can harm one another by producing antibiotics, by stabbing one another and injecting toxins, or simply by consuming resources that others require (1)(2)(3). Microbes can also impact one another positively.…”

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confidence: 99%