Kind Discrimination and Competitive Exclusion Mediated by Contact-Dependent Growth Inhibition Systems Shape Biofilm Community Structure
Figure 10
bcpAIOB allele-dependent competitive exclusion from an established community.
A) Biofilms were inoculated with the “established strain,” Bt-Bp1106a-1::bcpIBtE264, constitutively expressing rfp, incubated for 24 hours, washed, and then re-inoculated with the “invading strain,” I. BtE264 or II. BtE264::bcpIBp1106a-1, constitutively expressing gfp, re-incubated for 48 hours, washed, and then imaged by confocal microscopy. Images shown are of fluorescent and DIC channels merged, taken in a plane of focus approximately half way between the top and bottom of the biofilms. Scale bar = 32 µm. B) CLSM of representative RPF+ pillar structures. Images are from the same experiment as in A). Z stack image cross-sections were taken at 10 µm above the substratum. Scale bar = 10 µm. C) Single strain biofilms formed by BtE264 and BtE264::bcpIBp1106a-1, constitutively expressing gfp, 24 hours post inoculation. Images shown are of fluorescent and DIC channels merged, taken in a plane of focus approximately half way between the top and bottom of the biofilms. Scale bar = 32 µm.