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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources

Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources

Published on: January 22, 2018

Nutrient cross-feeding in the microbial world.

Erica C Seth¹, Michiko E Taga¹

¹Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA.

Frontiers in Microbiology

|July 30, 2014

Summary

Microbial communities rely on nutrient sharing, like cofactor cross-feeding, for stability. Understanding these interactions is key to manipulating microbial communities for health, agriculture, and environmental benefits.

Keywords:

cofactor corrinoid microbial communities microbial interactions nutrient cross-feeding

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Ecology
Biochemistry

Background:

Microbial community stability and function are driven by nutritional interactions.
Cross-feeding of essential small molecules is a key interaction among community members.

Purpose of the Study:

To review examples of microbe-microbe and microbe-host cofactor cross-feeding.
To examine the impact of shared cofactors on microbial communities.

Main Methods:

Literature review of cofactor cross-feeding.
Analysis of interactions from pure cultures to natural communities.

Main Results:

Cofactor cross-feeding influences community metabolism.
This interaction impacts host health, pathogen persistence, and environmental community composition.

Conclusions:

Understanding cofactor cross-feeding is crucial for manipulating microbial communities.
This knowledge has implications for human health, agriculture, and environmental management.