Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Nat Rev Microbiol. 2022 Oct;20(10):593-607. doi: 10.1038/s41579-022-00692-2. Epub 2022 Feb 11.
Historically, appreciation for the roles of resource gradients in biology has fluctuated inversely to the popularity of genetic mechanisms. Nevertheless, in microbiology specifically, widespread recognition of the multicellular lifestyle has recently brought new emphasis to the importance of resource gradients. Most microorganisms grow in assemblages such as biofilms or spatially constrained communities with gradients that influence, and are influenced by, metabolism. In this Review, we discuss examples of gradient formation and physiological differentiation in microbial assemblages growing in diverse settings. We highlight consequences of physiological heterogeneity in microbial assemblages, including division of labour and increased resistance to stress. Our impressions of microbial behaviour in various ecosystems are not complete without complementary maps of the chemical and physical geographies that influence cellular activities. A holistic view, incorporating these geographies and the genetically encoded functions that operate within them, will be essential for understanding microbial assemblages in their many roles and potential applications.
从历史上看，人们对资源梯度在生物学中的作用的认识与遗传机制的流行程度呈反比。然而，特别是在微生物学领域，对多细胞生活方式的广泛认识最近使人们更加重视资源梯度的重要性。大多数微生物以生物膜或空间受限的群落形式生长，这些群落中的梯度会影响和受代谢的影响。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了在不同环境中生长的微生物群落中梯度形成和生理分化的例子。我们强调了微生物群落中生理异质性的后果，包括分工和增加对压力的抵抗力。如果没有影响细胞活动的化学和物理地理的补充地图，我们对各种生态系统中微生物行为的印象将是不完整的。整体观点，包括这些地理环境和在其中运行的遗传编码功能，对于理解微生物群落的多种作用和潜在应用至关重要。
