Excited to share my publication, showing that co-residing bacteria in the gut alters population heterogeneity in C. difficile. Thank you to my co-author, Jilarie Santos-Santiago, and our collaborative team from the labs of @joeyzacks.bsky.social and @ritatamayo.bsky.social! doi.org/10.1128/jb.0...
Enterococcus faecalis modulates phase variation in Clostridioides difficile | Journal of Bacteriology
Clostridioides difficile is an enteric pathogen with critical implications for public health. The microbial ecosystem in which C. difficile resides shapes the behavior and fitness of C. difficile; however, the mechanisms underlying these interactions are not well defined. Here, we demonstrate that Enterococcus faecalis, an opportunistic pathogen known to co-colonize the gut with C. difficile, influences phase variation and downstream growth phenotypes in C. difficile. This phenomenon represents a new paradigm by which co-residing bacteria can modulate phase variation dynamics in C. difficile or other enteric pathogens. Understanding factors that influence C. difficile behavior may elucidate new therapeutic strategies, especially in complex polymicrobial infections.
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