Microbial Interations

 Biological Interactions

With the development of microbial communities, the demand for nutrients and space also increases. As a result, there has been a development of different strategies to enable microorganisms to persist in an environment. Cell–cell interactions may produce cooperative effects where one or more individuals benefit, or competition between the cells may occur with an adverse effect on one or more species in the environment. The nature and magnitude of interaction will depend on the types of microorganism present as well as the abundance of the microorganisms and types of sensory systems of the individual organisms.

Classification of microbial interactions

 

In addressing microbe–microbe interactions, it is important to determine whether the interaction is between cells of different genera or within the same species.

Various types of interaction of a microorganism with another microorganism and specific examples of the processes associated with microbe–microbe interaction are presented in table 1 and 2.

Table 1: Types of Interaction between Microorganisms and Hosts

Microorganisms can be physically associated with other organisms in a number of ways

·         Ectosymbiosis-microorganism remains outside the other organism

·         Endosymbiosis-microorganism is found within the other organism

·         Ecto/endosymbiosis-microorganism lives both on the inside and the outside of the other organism

·         Physical associations can be intermittent and cyclic or permanent

 

Table 2: Examples of Microbial Interactions

a – plant microbe interaction; b - animal microbe interaction

 

 

Neutralism

 

Neutralism occurs when microorganisms have no effect on each other despite their growth in fairly close contact. It is perhaps possible for neutralism to occur in natural communities if the culture density is low, the nutrient level is high, and each culture has distinct requirements for growth. It has been suggested that neutralism may occur in early colonization of an environment without either harmful or beneficial interactions by the microorganisms introduced.

Microbe-Microbe Interactions

 

1.  Positive interaction: Beneficial Interactions

Some interactions provide benefits to the different partners.

(1) Mutualism (2) Protocooperation and (3) Commensalism

 

2.  Negative interaction: Conflictual Interactions

(1) Predation (2) Parasitism and (3) Amensalism (4) Competition

 

 

 

Figure: Microbial Interactions: Basic characteristics of positive (+) and negative (-) interactions that can occur between different organisms

 

Symbiotic associations

The term symbiosis has been used to characterize various situations where different species are found living together. In the broadest definition, symbiosis has been used to describe biological interactions known as mutualism, commensalisms, and parasitism.

 

Obligate versus facultative

Relationships can be obligate, meaning that one or both of the symbionts entirely depend on each other for survival. They cannot survive without each other.

Relationship may be facultative, meaning that one or both of the symbionts are not entirely depend on each other and they may live independently.

 

1.  Positive interaction: Beneficial Interactions 
Mutualism

Mutualism defines as an obligatory association that provides some reciprocal benefit to both partners. This is an obligatory relationship in which the mutualist and the host are metabolically dependent on each other.

 

Lichen is an excellent example of microbe-microbe mutualism interaction. Lichen is the association between specific ascomycetes (the fungus) and certain genera of either green algae or cyanobacteria. In a lichen, the fungal partner is termed the mycobiont. Algal photobionts are called phycobionts and cyanobacteria photobionts are called cyanobionts.

 

The fungi benefit for the carbohydrates produced by the algae or cyanobacteria via photosynthesis. The fungus obtains nutrients from its partner by haustoria (projections of fungal hyphae) that penetrate the phycobiont cell wall. It also uses the O₂ produced during phycobiont photophosphorylation in carrying out respiration.

The fungus provides space for algae or cyanobacteria by creating a firm substratum within which the phycobiont can grow. It also protects the phycobiont from excess light intensities and other environmental stress.

 

Protocooperation (Synergism)

 Protocooperation is a mutually beneficial relationship, similar to that which occurs in mutualism, but in protocooperation, this relationship is not obligatory. The beneficial complementary resources are provided by each of the paired microorganisms. The organisms involved in this type of relationship can be separated, and if the resources provided by the complementary microorganism are supplied in the growth environment, each microorganism will function independently.

 

An example of this type of relationship is the association of Cellulomonas and Azotobacter. Azotobacter uses glucose provided by a cellulose-degrading microorganism such as Cellulomonas, which uses the nitrogen fixed by Azotobacter.

 

Another example of this type of relationship is the association of Desulfovibrio and Chromatium, in which the carbon and sulfur cycles are linked. The organic matter (OM) and sulfate required by Desulfovibrio are produced by the Chromatium while reduction of CO₂ to organic matter and oxidation of sulfide to sulfate required to Chromatium carried out by Desulfovibrio.

 

Fig. 2: Examples of Protocooperative Symbiotic Processes

 

Syntrophism is a protocooperative symbiotic process in which phototrophic and chemotrophic bacteria not only exchange metabolites but also interact at the level of growth coordination.

 

Commensalism

 

The commensalistic relationship involves two microorganisms where one partner (the commensal) benefits while the other species (the host) is not harmed or helped.

 

There are several situations under which commensalisms may occur between microorganisms

 

(1)     Commensalistic relationships between microorganisms include situations in which the waste product of one microorganism is the substrate for another species.

An example is nitrification, the oxidation of ammonium ion to nitrite by microorganisms such as Nitrosomonas, and the subsequent oxidation of the nitrite to nitrate by Nitrobacter and similar bacteria. Nitrobacter benefits from its association with Nitrosomonas because it uses nitrite to obtain energy for growth.

(2)     Commensalistic associations also occur when one microbial group modifies the environment to make it more suited for another organism.

For example, in the intestine the common, nonpathogenic strain of Escherichia coli lives in the human colon, but also grows quite well outside the host, and thus is a typical commensal. When oxygen is used up by the facultatively anaerobic E. coli, obligate anaerobes such as Bacteroides are able to grow in the colon.

(3)     One species releasing vitamins, amino acids and other growth factors that are needed by a second species.

 

2.  Negative interaction: Conflictual Interactions

Predation

Predation is a widespread phenomenon where the predator engulfs or attacks the prey. In the world of eukaryotes, it is common that the larger animal eats the smaller one; however, with microorganisms the predator may be larger or smaller than the predator, and this normally results in the death of the prey.

Several of the best examples are Bdellovibrio, Vampirococcus, and Daptobacter.

 

Each of these has a unique mode of attack against a susceptible bacterium.

(1)     epibiotic predator with growth on the surface of the prey. Ex. – Vampirococcus

(2)     periplasmic predator, with growth in between the inner and outer membranes of bacteria. Ex.

Bdellovibrio

(3)     cytoplasmic predator, with growth in the cytoplasm of the prey. Ex. Daptobacter

 

Figure: Cell associations: bacteria as predators on other bacteria. Bacterial parasites may be found growing (A) in the cytoplasm, (B) in the periplasm, or (C) on the surface of a bacterial host.

 

Parasitism

 Parasitism occurs when one species obtains nutrients from another for the purpose of cell growth. Parasites display two types: (1) direct lifecycle that does not require an intermediate host and (2) indirect lifecycle that requires an intermediate host.

 

In parasitism, one organism (parasite) benefits from another (host); there is a degree of coexistence between the host and parasite that can shift to a pathogenic relationship (a type of predation).

 

The host may be microbes, plants or animals.

 

Microbe-microbe parasitism

 

(1)     Mycoparasitism (Fungus-Fungus Interaction)

 

When one fungus is parasitized by the other fungus, this phenomenon is called mycoparasitism. The parasitizing fungus is called hyper parasite and the parasitized fungus as hypoparasite.

 

Barnett and Binder (1973) divided mycoparasitism into (i) necrotrophic parasitism, in which the relationships result in death of the host thallus, and (ii) biotrophic parasitism, in which the development of the parasite is favored by a living rather than a dead host structure. The antagonistic activity of necrotrophic mycoparasites is attributed to the production of antibiotics, toxins, and hydrolytic enzymes. It is used as biocontrol agent. Ex. - The fungal genus,

Trichoderma produces enzymes such as chitinases which degrade the cell walls of other fungi

 

(2)     Mycophagy

 

Mycophagy or Fungivory is the process of organisms consuming fungi.

Bacterial mycophagy - mechanisms by which bacteria feed on fungi. Ex.- Bacteria Aeromonas caviae feed on fungus Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum.

Many amoebae are also known to feed on pathogenic fungi. The antagonistic soil amoebae are

Arachnula, Gephyramoeba, Geococcus, Saccamoeba, Vampyrella etc.

 

(3)     Bacterivores

Bacterivores are free-living, generally heterotrophic organisms, exclusively microscopic, which obtain energy and nutrients primarily or entirely from the consumption of bacteria. Many species of amoeba are bacterivores, as well as other types of protozoans. i.e. Vorticella

 

(4)     Bacteriophage

 

A bacteriophage, also known as a phage, is a virus that infects and replicates within Bacteria and Archaea. i.e. ds DNA phases (T4 – phase, lambda phase), ssDNA phase (M13 phase, ΦX174).

 

Amensalism

 

Amensalism describes the negative effect that one organism has on another organism. This is a unidirectional process based on the release of a specific compound by one organism which has a negative effect on another organism.

A classic example of amensalism is the production of antibiotics that can inhibit or kill a susceptible microorganism. Ex. - the destructive effect of the bread mold Penicillium on certain bacteria by the secretion of penicillin.

 

Competition

 

When two or more species use the same nutrients for growth, some of the populations will be compromised. Competition between microbial species may be attributed to availability of nitrogen source, carbon source, electron donors and acceptors, vitamins, light, and water. Microbes also compete with their neighbors for space and resources. Competition for a limiting nutrient among microorganisms leads to exclusion of slower growing population.

For ex. - during decomposition of organic matter the increase in number and activity of microorganisms put heavy demand on limited supply of oxygen, nutrients, space, etc. The microbes with weak saprophytic survival ability are unable to compete with other soil saprophytes for these requirements.