A Synthetic Ecology Perspective: How Well Does Behavior of Model Organisms in the Laboratory Predict Microbial Activities in Natural Habitats?

摘要: In this perspective article we question how well model organisms, the ones that are easy to cultivate in laboratory and show robust growth biomass accumulation, reflect dynamics interactions of microbial communities observed nature. Today’s -omics toolbox allows assessing genomic potential microbes natural environments a high throughput fashion, at strain-level resolution. However, understanding details activities mechanistic bases community function still requires experimental validation simplified fully controlled systems such as synthetic communities. We have studied methane utilization Lake Washington sediment for few decades identified number species genetically equipped activity. also co-occurring satellite appear form functional together with methanotrophs. Here compare findings from manipulation involved metabolism niche assembled originating same study site, very simple (two-species) rather complex (50-species) observe some common trends between two types communities, toward representation specific guilds. identify strong discrepancies dominant oxidizers compared under similar incubation conditions. These highlight challenges exist using approach modeling