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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
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High Throughput Co-culture Assays for the Investigation of Microbial Interactions
Published on: October 15, 2019
Quenching corrinoid-based interactions in a model bacterial coculture
Zachary F Hallberg1, Zoila I Alvarez-Aponte1, Allison Gaudinier1
1Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States.
ISME Communications
|July 17, 2026
Summary
Scientists developed a metabolite quenching strategy to control microbial interactions. This method uses a binding protein to block nutrient sharing, specifically corrinoids (vitamin B12), impacting bacterial growth and community function.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Metabolic Engineering
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Microbial community structure is influenced by metabolic interactions between resident microbes.
- Manipulating these interactions is key to understanding and altering microbial functions for therapeutic or environmental benefits.
- Controlling metabolite availability between microbes remains a challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a metabolite quenching strategy to disrupt specific metabolic interdependencies.
- To investigate the disruption of corrinoid (vitamin B12) cross-feeding using a high-affinity binding protein.
- To establish a method for dissecting microbial community structure and function.
Main Methods:
- Developed a metabolite quenching strategy using the high-affinity corrinoid-binding protein BtuG.
- Utilized a model coculture of *Sinorhizobium meliloti* (corrinoid producer) and engineered *Escherichia coli* (corrinoid-dependent).
- Demonstrated quenching by sequestering extracellular corrinoids, inhibiting growth.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated corrinoid quenching by BtuG, disrupting metabolic interaction.
- Showed inhibition of corrinoid-dependent growth in the engineered *E. coli* strain.
- Validated the strategy's effectiveness in a model microbial coculture.
Conclusions:
- Metabolite quenching is a viable strategy to selectively block microbial interactions.
- This approach can be broadly applied to dissect microbial community structure and function.
- High-affinity molecular sponges can identify key nutrients and enable precision microbiome manipulation.
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