Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Species-Specific Metabolite Production and Shared Nutrient Consumption by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Interactions between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus can impact pathogenicity and antimicrobial efficacy. In this study, we aim to better understand the potential for metabolic interactions between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus in an environment resembling the cystic fibrosis lung. We find that S. aureus and P. aeruginosa consume many of the same nutrients, suggesting that metabolic competition may play an important role in community dynamics during coinfection. We further identify metabolites uniquely produced by either organism with the potential to be developed into species-specific biomarkers of infection in the cystic fibrosis lung.

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