The DOI matches its Crossref record; 10 of the 10 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Microbial syntrophy: interaction for the common good
Open accessAbstract
Classical definitions of syntrophy focus on a process, performed through metabolic interaction between dependent microbial partners, such as the degradation of complex organic compounds under anoxic conditions. However, examples from past and current scientific discoveries suggest that a new, simple but wider definition is necessary to cover all aspects of microbial syntrophy. We suggest the term 'obligately mutualistic metabolism', which still focuses on microbial metabolic cooperation but also includes an ecological aspect: the benefit for both partners. By the combined metabolic activity of microorganisms, endergonic reactions can become exergonic through the efficient removal of products and therefore enable a microbial community to survive with minimal energy resources. Here, we explain the principles of classical and non-classical syntrophy and illustrate the concepts with various examples. We present biochemical fundamentals that allow microorganism to survive under a range of environmental conditions and to drive important biogeochemical processes. Novel technologies have contributed to the understanding of syntrophic relationships in cultured and uncultured systems. Recent research highlights that obligately mutualistic metabolism is not limited to certain metabolic pathways nor to certain environments or microorganisms. This beneficial microbial interaction is not restricted to the transfer of reducing agents such as hydrogen or formate, but can also involve the exchange of organic, sulfurous- and nitrogenous compounds or the removal of toxic compounds.
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Cites
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Self-citationSyntrophic growth on Formate: a new microbial niche in anoxic environments
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Cited by
Milani, C., Duranti, S., Bottacini, F., Casey, E., Turroni, F., Mahony, J., Belzer, C., Delgado Palacio, S., Arboleya Montes, S., Mancabelli, L., et al. (2017) · Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews · doi:10.1128/mmbr.00036-17 · Cited by 1,950
Metabolic dependencies drive species co-occurrence in diverse microbial communities
Zelezniak, A., Andrejev, S., Ponomarova, O., Mende, D. R., Bork, P., & Patil, K. R. (2015) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1421834112 · Cited by 930
Liew, F., Martin, M. E., Tappel, R. C., Heijstra, B. D., Mihalcea, C., & Köpke, M. (2016) · Frontiers in Microbiology · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.00694 · Cited by 485
Glycan Utilization and Cross-Feeding Activities by Bifidobacteria
Turroni, F., Milani, C., Duranti, S., Mahony, J., van Sinderen, D., & Ventura, M. (2018) · Trends in Microbiology · doi:10.1016/j.tim.2017.10.001 · Cited by 263
Black Queen evolution: the role of leakiness in structuring microbial communities
Morris, J. J. (2015) · Trends in Genetics · doi:10.1016/j.tig.2015.05.004 · Cited by 207
Metadata
- Authors
- Morris, B. E. L., Henneberger, R., Huber, H., & Moissl-Eichinger, C.
- Venue
- FEMS Microbiology Reviews
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2013-05
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 384-406
- ISSN
- 0168-6445 (ISSN-L)
- 1574-6976
- OpenAlex
- W1994359868
- Cited by
- 920
- References
- 10
- FWCI
- 27.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
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- Morris, B. E. L., Henneberger, R., Huber, H., & Moissl-Eichinger, C. (2013). Microbial syntrophy: interaction for the common good. FEMS Microbiology Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1111/1574-6976.12019
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