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How might bacteriophages shape biological invasions?
Jannick Van Cauwenberghe1,2, Ellen L Simms2
1Institute of Biodiversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse, Friedrich Schiller University Jena , Jena, Germany.
Mbio
|October 9, 2023
Summary
Bacteriophages (phages) can influence biological invasions by affecting the survival and competitiveness of introduced bacterial mutualists, like rhizobia. Understanding these phage-bacteria interactions is key to predicting invasion success.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Microbiology
- Invasion Biology
Background:
- Biological invasions by eukaryotes often rely on symbiotic bacteria.
- The success of these invading bacteria depends on their ability to establish free-living populations.
- Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect bacteria and can impact bacterial populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how bacteriophages influence the invasion success of eukaryotic hosts dependent on bacterial mutualists.
- To apply invasion biology principles to phage-bacteria interactions within the context of biological invasions.
- To develop a conceptual framework for predicting the role of phages in biological invasions.
Main Methods:
- Synthesizing existing research from invasion biology, bacterial ecology, viral ecology, and community ecology.
- Applying invasion biology hypotheses to the legume-rhizobium mutualism model.
- Analyzing the impact of phage-bacteria interactions on the competitiveness of introduced bacterial mutualists.
Main Results:
- Phages can significantly affect the ability of introduced bacterial mutualists to survive and establish.
- The eco-evolutionary context of native and introduced microbial communities, including abundance and diversity, is crucial for predicting phage impacts.
- Phage-bacteria dynamics are a key factor in the success or failure of biological invasions mediated by bacterial mutualists.
Conclusions:
- Phages represent a critical, yet often overlooked, factor in the ecology of biological invasions.
- A comprehensive understanding of phage-mediated effects on bacterial mutualists is necessary for accurate predictions of invasion dynamics.
- This framework aids in predicting how phage-bacteria interactions shape the outcome of invasions involving symbiotic bacteria.
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