mSphere of Influence: The power of polymicrobial partnerships in chronic infection research

TL;DR

This article discusses how studying polymicrobial interactions in chronic infections can reshape research approaches in microbial physiology and antibiotic tolerance.

Contribution

The paper highlights the impact of community composition on microbial phenotypes, prompting a new experimental design approach.

Findings

Polymicrobial partnerships influence microbial-specific phenotypes in cystic fibrosis models.

Community composition affects antibiotic tolerance and mutant identification in laboratory studies.

Abstract

Chelsey VanDrisse works in the field of microbial physiology, studying how acylation of small molecules and proteins affects the development of Pseudomonas biofilms. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on the paper “Community composition shapes microbial-specific phenotypes in a cystic fibrosis polymicrobial model system” by Jean-Pierre et al. This paper prompted her to reassess her approach to studying antibiotic tolerance and her design of experiments that search for disease-relevant mutants and phenotypes in the laboratory.