Microbiota-derived metabolites inhibit <i>Salmonella</i> virulent subpopulation development by acting on single-cell behaviors
Alyson M. Hockenberry, Gabriele Micali, Gabriella Takács, Jessica Weng, Wolf‐Dietrich Hardt, Martin Ackermann
Abstract
Significance Emergence of distinct cell types in populations of genetically identical bacteria is common. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that cooperation between cell types can be beneficial. This is the case during Salmonella infection, in which cooperation between inflammation-inducing virulent and fast-growing avirulent cell types occurs during infection to aid in colonization of the host gut. Here, we show gut microbiota–derived metabolites slow growth of the virulent cell type. Our study implies microbial metabolites shape cooperative interactions between the virulent and avirulent cell types, a finding that can help explain the wide array of clinical manifestations of Salmonella infection.