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Review
. 2004 May;5(5):470-6.
doi: 10.1038/sj.embor.7400145.

Multicellular microorganisms: laboratory versus nature

Zdena Palková  1
Affiliations
Review

Multicellular microorganisms: laboratory versus nature

Zdena Palková. EMBO Rep. 2004 May.

Abstract

Our present in-depth knowledge of the physiology and regulatory mechanisms of microorganisms has arisen from our ability to remove them from their natural, complex ecosystems into pure liquid cultures. These cultures are grown under optimized laboratory conditions and allow us to study microorganisms as individuals. However, microorganisms naturally grow in conditions that are far from optimal, which causes them to become organized into multicellular communities that are better protected against the harmful environment. Moreover, this multicellular existence allows individual cells to differentiate and acquire specific properties, such as forming resistant spores, which benefit the whole population. The relocation of natural microorganisms to the laboratory can result in their adaptation to these favourable conditions, which is accompanied by complex changes that include the repression of some protective mechanisms that are essential in nature. Laboratory microorganisms that have been cultured for long periods under optimized conditions might therefore differ markedly from those that exist in natural ecosystems.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Differences between wild and laboratory microorganisms. (A) Colonies of laboratory (a) and wild (b–e) strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. (B) Colonies and ultrastructure of wild BR-fluffy strain (a) and its domesticated derivative BR-smooth strain. Both colonies are 6 days old (reproduced with permission from Kuthan et al, 2003). (C) Sporulation sites on the surfaces of colonies formed by wild Bacillus subtilis (reproduced with permission from Branda et al, 2001).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Differentiation in yeast multicellullar communities. (A) Multicellular yeast stalk (a; reproduced with permission from Engelberg et al, 1998) and its anatomical structure (b; reproduced with permission from Scherz et al, 2001). Central core formed by normal cells (c), yeastspores (d) and dying cells (e). (B) Saccharomyces cerevisiae colony expressing the CCR4 promoter–LacZ fusion (a). Colonies of the ccr4-deletion mutant (c) and the isogenic parental strain (b) (reproduced with permission from Minarikova et al, 2001). (C) Ultrastructure of colonies of Candida albicans (reproduced with permission from Radford et al, 1994) showing aerial hyphae (a and b) and three layers of different cells within a colony (c).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Autoinduction: general signalling mechanism in communities of microorganisms. Autoinducers (arrows) induce their own production in the same cell and/or in surrounding cells (colonies).
None
Zdena Palková is the recipient of an EMBO Young Investigator Award
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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