Metabolic Exchange and Energetic Coupling between Nutritionally Stressed Bacterial Species: Role of Quorum-Sensing Molecules

Formation of multispecies communities allows nearly every niche on earth to be colonized, and the exchange of molecular information among neighboring bacteria in such communities is key for bacterial success. To clarify the principles controlling interspecies interactions, we previously developed a coculture model with two anaerobic bacteria, (Gram positive) and Hildenborough (Gram negative, sulfate reducing). Under conditions of nutritional stress for , the existence of tight cell-cell interactions between the two bacteria induced emergent properties. Here, we show that the direct exchange of carbon metabolites produced by allows to duplicate its DNA and to be energetically viable even without its substrates. We identify the molecular basis of the physical interactions and how autoinducer-2 (AI-2) molecules control the interactions and metabolite exchanges between and (or and ). With nutrients, produces a small molecule that inhibits the AI-2 activity and could act as an antagonist Sensing of AI-2 by could induce formation of an intercellular structure that allows directly or indirectly metabolic exchange and energetic coupling between the two bacteria. Bacteria have usually been studied in single culture in rich media or under specific starvation conditions. However, in nature they coexist with other microorganisms and build an advanced society. The molecular bases of the interactions controlling this society are poorly understood. Use of a synthetic consortium and reducing complexity allow us to shed light on the bacterial communication at the molecular level. This study presents evidence that quorum-sensing molecule AI-2 allows physical and metabolic interactions in the synthetic consortium and provides new insights into the link between metabolism and bacterial communication.