In soil and in the rhizosphere, many microbial species live in close vicinity and interact with each other in various ways ranging from competition to cooperation. Both theoretical models and empirical studies are used to explain the coexistence of competing microbial species and consequently microbial community assembly. Recently, the role of interactions between the members of microbial communities and how these shape community composition and dynamics is receiving increasing interest. The results provide evidence that the performance of bacteria in soil depends strongly on the identity of neighbouring bacteria and that inter-specific interactions are an important factor in determining microbial community structure.Ĭulture-independent technologies have given us insight in the tremendous phylogenetic and functional diversity of microbial communities. V48, but not in the presence of Bacillus sp. Quantitative real-time PCR data showed up-regulation of genes involved in the production of a broad-spectrum antibiotic in Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1 when confronted with Pedobacter sp. However, when Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1 was confronted with the mixture of both strains, no significant effect on the growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1 was observed. V48 strain did not affect the growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1.

V102 strain led to significant lower cell numbers of Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1, whereas confrontation with the Gram-negative Pedobacter sp. Results revealed that under both nutrient poor and nutrient rich conditions confrontation with the Gram-positive Bacillus sp. Here, we used a sand microcosm approach to investigate how Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1 responds to the presence of monocultures or mixtures of two phylogenetically different bacteria, a Gram-negative ( Pedobacter sp. This ability might be an important strategy in complex habitats such as soils, with great implications for shaping the microbial community structure.

Recent studies suggest that bacteria are able to sense and respond to the presence of neighbouring bacteria in the environment and alter their response accordingly. In most environments many microorganisms live in close vicinity and can interact in various ways.

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