Horizontal gene transfer enables programmable gene stability in synthetic microbiota

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Systems Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Microbial community functions often remain stable even when community composition changes.
• The mechanisms behind this function-composition decoupling are not fully understood.
• Statistical explanations have been proposed, but dynamic mechanisms are less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of dynamic mechanisms, specifically horizontal gene transfer (HGT), in decoupling microbial community function from composition.
• To understand how HGT influences the stability of gene abundance within microbial communities.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations were employed to model the impact of HGT rates on gene abundance stability.
• Experimental validation was performed using engineered microbial consortia with varying complexities.
• Data from existing literature were reanalyzed to corroborate the findings.

Main Results:

• HGT rates were shown to be a critical determinant of gene abundance stability in microbial communities.
• The study successfully demonstrated a method to program gene stability in microbial communities through HGT.
• Predictions from theoretical models were validated using both engineered consortia and literature data.

Conclusions:

• Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) provides a dynamic mechanism for maintaining stable microbial community functions.
• This research offers a generalizable strategy for controlling and programming gene stability in microbial ecosystems.
• Understanding and manipulating HGT is crucial for predicting and managing microbial community behavior.