Identification of genetic determinants associated with competition between S.aureus and S.epidermidis
Staphylococci are frequent members of the human skin microbiome. It was previously determined that S. aureus meets widespread antagonism from coagulase- negative staphylococci. Furthermore, cumulative antagonisms by species in the niche correlate with the absence of S. aureus nasal colonisation, supporting collective antagonism trait expression as a barrier. However, genetics factors and adaptive pathways of bacterial interactions remain uncharacterized. Using a two species system, strongly antagonistic inhibitor-producing S. epidermidis B155 was co-cultured with S. aureus SH1000 to identify determinants of competition and resistance using an experimental evolution approach. In the presence of S. epidermidis B155, S. aureus evolved a high relative fitness due to inhibitor resistance after several days of S. epidermidis.