The role of metabolites in the interspecific interaction of bacteria (review)

Abstract

In the current period, scientists both in our country and abroad are actively studying the processes of interaction between microorganisms since an understanding of the mechanisms of communication and competition between them will contribute to the development of new strategies in the fight against infectious diseases. Nevertheless, although in recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of publications on the indicated problem, studies covering far from all possible variants of interactions between various microorganisms, are still at their initial stage, and are still less focused on the understanding of direct mechanisms of interaction. Of particular interest is the study of antagonistic relationships in which the development of some forms of microbes is inhibited by others through the antimicrobial substances they produce. Metabolites that display antimicrobial properties at low concentrations are one such substance. In the present work, the authors present a literature analysis indicating that between-population relationships, realized through metabolic products, are among the main factors that are aimed at the stability of microbial communities and management of their productivity and species composition, including mixed biofilms.