Catabolism of Host‐Derived Compounds During Extracellular Bacterial Infections

Abstract

Efficient catabolism of host-derived compounds is essential for bacterial survival and virulence. While these links in intracellular bacteria are well-studied, such studies in extracellular bacteria lag behind, mostly for technical reasons. The field has identified important metabolic pathways, but the mechanisms by which they impact infection and in particular, establishing the importance of a compound’s catabolism versus alternate metabolic roles has been difficult. In this review we will examine evidence for catabolism during extracellular bacterial infections in animals and known or potential roles in virulence. In the process, we point out key gaps in the field that will require new or newly adapted techniques.

Sulfur availability for Vibrio fischeri growth during symbiosis establishment depends on biogeography within the squid light organ

“…Understanding the factors that impact the fitness of host‐associated microbes ultimately depends on determining the mechanisms they use to acquire nutrients and energy for growth in vivo . For microbes that associate with their host in an extracellular manner, the variability in environmental conditions among potential colonization sites within the host represents a challenge for studying those mechanisms (Meadows and Wargo, ). However, approaches that account for the spatial organization of host‐associated microbial populations, i.e.…”