Koch et al. propose replacing “synthetic microbial communities (SynComs)” with “defined microbial communities”. We argue that this substitution obscures the design-driven logic of SynCom research, and...

Koch et al. propose replacing “synthetic microbial communities (SynComs)” with “defined microbial communities”. We argue that this substitution obscures the design-driven logic of SynCom research, and...

Abstract. Microorganisms assemble into spatially structured communities in which neighboring cells are separated by highly heterogeneous cell-cell distance

Abstract. Microorganisms assemble into spatially structured communities in which neighboring cells are separated by highly heterogeneous cell-cell distance

Genome-wide selective sweeps commonly occur in the human gut microbiome and can spread across the world within decades to produce epidemic-like population structures.

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Streptococcus mutans is a major pathogen in caries development due to its ability to rapidly metabolize sucrose into EPS. EPS serves as a major component of the S. mutans biofilm matrix, and previous studies mostly explored the effects of EPS on the macroscale. However, how EPS shapes S. mutans biofilm formation at the microscale is not well understood. By combining single-cell tracking with fluorescence staining techniques, we demonstrate that sucrose-dependent EPS governs the transition from 2D growth to 3D biofilm architecture and facilitates the formation of a liquid region at the bottom of the biofilm. These findings bridge a fundamental knowledge gap between the microscale organization and macroscale attributes of biofilms, offering novel perspectives for developing targeted anti-caries strategies.

Streptococcus mutans is a major pathogen in caries development due to its ability to rapidly metabolize sucrose into EPS. EPS serves as a major component of the S. mutans biofilm matrix, and previous studies mostly explored the effects of EPS on the macroscale. However, how EPS shapes S. mutans biofilm formation at the microscale is not well understood. By combining single-cell tracking with fluorescence staining techniques, we demonstrate that sucrose-dependent EPS governs the transition from 2D growth to 3D biofilm architecture and facilitates the formation of a liquid region at the bottom of the biofilm. These findings bridge a fundamental knowledge gap between the microscale organization and macroscale attributes of biofilms, offering novel perspectives for developing targeted anti-caries strategies.

Abstract. Most microbes grow in spatially structured communities, and this profoundly shapes their ecology and evolution. At the microscale, short interact

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