Barbara Kraigher (Author), Monika Butolen (Author), Polonca Štefanič (Author), Ines Mandić-Mulec (Author)

Abstract

Swarming is the collective movement of bacteria across a surface. It requires the production of surfactants (public goods) to overcome surface tension and provides an excellent model to investigate bacterial cooperation. Previously, we correlated swarm interaction phenotypes with kin discrimination between B. subtilis soil isolates, by showing that less related strains form boundaries between swarms and highly related strains merge. However, how kin discrimination affects cooperation and territoriality in swarming bacteria remains little explored. Here we show that the pattern of surface colonization by swarming mixtures is influenced by kin types. Closely related strain mixtures colonize the surface in a mixed swarm, while mixtures of less related strains show competitive exclusion as only one strain colonizes the surface. The outcome of nonkin swarm expansion depends on the initial ratio of the competing strains, indicating positive frequency-dependent competition. We find that addition of surfactin (a public good excreted from cells) can complement the swarming defect of nonkin mutants, whereas close encounters in nonkin mixtures lead to territorial exclusion, which limits the exploitation of surfactin by nonkin nonproducers. The work suggests that kin discrimination driven competitive territorial exclusion may be an important determinant for the success of cooperative surface colonization.

Keywords

Bacillus subtilis;rojenje;socialne interakcije;surfaktin;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization: UL BF - Biotechnical Faculty
UDC: 579.22/.26:579.852.11
COBISS: 80968963 Link will open in a new window
ISSN: 1751-7362
Views: 252
Downloads: 57
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Other data

Secondary language: Slovenian
Secondary keywords: Bacillus subtilis;rojenje;socialne interakcije;surfaktin;
Type (COBISS): Article
Pages: str. 833–841
Issue: ǂVol. ǂ16
Chronology: 2022
DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01124-4
ID: 14704349