Aggregate formation in a freshwater bacterial strain induced by growth state and conspecific chemical cues

0349539 - BC 2011 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Blom, J. F. - Horňák, Karel - Šimek, Karel - Pernthaler, J.
Aggregate formation in a freshwater bacterial strain induced by growth state and conspecific chemical cues.
Environmental Microbiology. Roč. 12, č. 9 (2010), s. 2486-2495. ISSN 1462-2912. E-ISSN 1462-2920
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA206/08/0015
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60170517
Keywords : aggregate formation * Sphingobium sp. * chemical cues * growth state
Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology
Impact factor: 5.537, year: 2010

We investigated the induction of aggregate formation in the freshwater bacterium Sphingobium sp. strain Z007 by growth state and protistan grazing. In pure cultures of Sphingobium sp. strain Z007, the concentrations of single cells and aggregates inside and outside the dialysis membranes developed in a similar manner over 3 days of incubation. Cell production of Sphingobium sp. strain Z007 was enhanced in the presence of another isolate, Limnohabitans planktonicus, outside the bags, and even more so if that strain was additionally grazed upon by the bacterivorous flagellate Poterioochromonas sp. The feeding of flagellates on Sphingobium sp. strain Z007 outside the dialysis bags led to significantly higher proportions of aggregates inside the bags. This was not paralleled by an increase in growth rates. We conclude that two mechanisms, growth state and the possible release of infochemicals by the predator, may induce aggregate formation of Sphingobium sp. strain Z007.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0189749