Observe bacteria as they stow away and speed around in motion

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The battlefield of microorganisms is a miniature deathmatch, filled with microbes battling it out for resources. These microscopic warriors fight for turf, consume pollutants, poison their enemies, and make use of every advantage in their pursuit of survival and dominance. Recently, researchers discovered a fascinating twist in this microscopic war: bacteria can speed up their movement by utilizing fluid channels shaped by nearby yeast cells. By hitching a ride on these fluid trails, bacteria can spread faster and cover more ground. The findings were published on June 4, 2023, in the Cell Press journal Biophysical Journal and shed light on a novel method of microbial transport within plants, soil, and even our own bodies.

As study co-author and Cornell University microbiome engineer Divakar Badal explained, "Our research often focuses on the chemical nature of microbial interactions. But we discovered that physical properties play a crucial role in how microbes grow and spread."

For this study, the team honed in on the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. P. aeruginosa is a rod-shaped bacteria found in soil and human airways, and it can cause infections in the blood, lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract, or other body parts following surgery, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. C. neoformans, on the other hand, is a stationary yeast that can be deadly to those with weakened immune systems and lives worldwide. Infections caused by this fungus can affect different parts of the body, but they most commonly result in lung or brain infections (cryptococcal meningitis).

The researchers observed the two species under a microscope as they approached each other. Eventually, the P. aeruginosa bacterium surged into the puddle-like fluid surrounding the C. neoformans yeast. When cultured alongside yeast, the bacteria spread up to 14.5 times faster than when cultured alone. Additionally, isolated bacterial colonies quickly formed continuous clusters.

At a microscopic scale, P. aeruginosa is roughly the size of a grain of rice, while the yeast is about the size of a grape. These larger yeast bodies draws in moisture from the surface, creating a thin halo of fluid that acts as a temporary swimming lane for the bacteria. This fluid lane enables the bacteria to bypass the usual physical constraints of a dry surface. When researchers replaced the live yeast with dead ones or glass beads, the same halo effect occurred, suggesting that the fluid trails were the driving force.

"The bigger the obstacle, whether it's yeast or glass beads, the more fluid you have around it, and it's better for P. aeruginosa," commented Varsha Singh, a study co-author and molecular biologist at the University of Dundee in Scotland. "So, it's leveraging what could have been an obstacle to move farther ahead."

The team also discovered that the spread of bacteria pulsates within the landscape created by the growing yeast cells. By constructing a model to simulate the interactions between both species, they were able to better understand the dynamics at play. The model suggests that faster-growing yeast species like C. albicans produce a much more pronounced fluid landscape, which affects how rapidly bacteria can travel.

According to the research team, the implications of this study extend beyond the lab. Bacteria and yeast exist in a variety of environments, including plants, soil, water, and the human body. The ability to travel via fluid films may be one of the factors that helps bacteria colonize these environments more effectively, particularly when water is scarce. The team plans to further investigate how both species interact in the real world to gain a better understanding of their complex relationships.

"We tend to think of microbiology from an anthropomorphic perspective, focusing on human lungs or the gut because we can relate to them," said Singh. "But much of it plays out in the soil and other environments. That gives us a wonderful opportunity to explore new questions. I think that's where the next frontier is."

Whether it's in soil, plants, or even our own bodies, the fight for survival among microorganisms continues. Stay tuned for more fascinating insights into the microscopic world!

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In the microscopic world, bacteria have been discovered to exploit fluid channels created by yeast cells for faster movement, a finding that sheds light on a novel mechanism of microbial transport not only in soil and plants but also within our own bodies, impacting health-and-wellness as these microorganisms compete for resources.
Scientists have uncovered a groundbreaking interaction between the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, revealing that physical properties play a crucial role in how microbes grow and spread, and influences the speed at which they traverse their environment, bringing new insights to the field of biology and science.