Toroidal displacement of <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> by <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> is a unique mechanism to avoid competition for iron
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Competition for resources is one of the major drivers for evolution and retention of new traits in microbial communities. Quorum sensing-dependent traits of the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa allow it to survive and thrive in the presence of other microbes. Here, we report a unique mechanism that P. aeruginosa employs specifically against Klebsiella pneumoniae to displace it on solid surfaces. Interestingly, P. aeruginosa employs neither proteases nor toxic secondary metabolites against K. pneumoniae. Rhamnolipid biosurfactant under the control of the RhlR quorum sensing system appears to be the primary factor required to displace Klebsiella effectively. Under conditions of iron limitation, both bacteria produce iron-scavenging molecules, while P. aeruginosa also produces rhamnolipid biosurfactant, allowing it to push Klebsiella cells away from the substratum. Our study describes a unique quorum and iron-responsive mechanism in P. aeruginosa to support its own growth during resource competition on a solid surface.
Editor(s)
Mathee, Kalai
Dietrich, Lars EP
Date Issued
2025-07-09
Date Acceptance
2025-05-13
Citation
mBio, 2025, 16 (7)
ISSN
2150-7511
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Journal / Book Title
mBio
Volume
16
Issue
7
Copyright Statement
© 2025 Pradhan et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
License URL
Identifier
10.1128/mbio.01149-25
Subjects
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Klebsiella pneumoniae
competition
iron
rhamnolipid
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e01149-25
Date Publish Online
2025-06-11