Exchange of Vitamin B <sub>1</sub> and Its Biosynthesis Intermediates Shapes the Composition of Synthetic Microbial Cocultures and Reveals Complexities of Nutrient Sharing
Rupali R. M. Sathe, Ryan W. Paerl, Amrita B. Hazra
Abstract
(thiamin) is an essential nutrient for cellular metabolism. Microorganisms that are unable to synthesize thiamin either fully or in part exogenously obtain it from their environment or via exchanges with other microbial members in their community. In this study, we created synthetic microbial cocultures that rely on sharing thiamin and its biosynthesis intermediates and observed that some of them are preferentially exchanged. We also observed that the coculture composition is dictated by the production and/or availability of thiamin and its intermediates. Our studies with synthetic cocultures provide the molecular basis for understanding thiamin sharing among microorganisms and lay out broad guidelines for setting up synthetic microbial cocultures by using the exchange of an essential metabolite as their foundation.