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Diverse phage communities are maintained stably on a clonal bacterial host.
Nora C Pyenson1,2,3, Asher Leeks3,4, Odera Nweke3
1Institute for Systems Genetics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|December 12, 2024
Summary
Bacteriophages (phages) are diverse, yet their ecological drivers are unknown. This study shows phage diversity exceeds bacterial host diversity, with multiple phage species coexisting on a single bacterial strain through host phenotypic variation.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Ecology
- Virology
Background:
- Bacteriophages (phages) are ubiquitous and diverse biological entities.
- The ecological mechanisms maintaining phage diversity are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ecological mechanisms sustaining bacteriophage diversity.
- To determine if phage diversity can exceed bacterial host diversity under controlled conditions.
Main Methods:
- Assembled diverse phage communities and passaged them on a single strain of *Escherichia coli*.
- Monitored phage communities until they reached equilibrium.
- Analyzed phage-host interactions and bacterial population dynamics.
Main Results:
- Phage diversity consistently exceeded bacterial host diversity.
- Two or more phage species stably coexisted on a single, nonevolving *E. coli* strain.
- Host phenotypic heterogeneity (different growth phenotypes) created niches supporting phage coexistence.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial phenotypic heterogeneity is a key mechanism supporting high phage diversity.
- A rich bacteriophage community ecology can emerge even with a single, clonal bacterial host.
- These findings advance our understanding of microbial community dynamics and phage ecology.
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