Competitive and cooperative interactions affecting a fermentative spirochete in anaerobic chemostats

Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and fluorescent in situ hybridization revealed that spirochete-related populations dominated two glucose-fed methanogenic bioreactor communities at dilution rates of 0.06, 0.13, and 0.17 day(-1). At dilution rates of 0.25 and 0.50 day(-1), spirochete-related populations decreased while Clostridium-related populations increased. Isolates representing both dominant populations were obtained (Treponema R8 and Clostridium S9) and competed against each other in continuous culture. Treponema R8 outcompeted Clostridium S9 at all dilution rates applied (0.17 to 1.0 day(-1)) when sufficient pantothenate was supplied in the medium. Without sufficient pantothenate, the population size of Treponema R8 was limited to 40% of the total cells. Coculture of Treponema R8 with Methanobacterium bryantii increased the cell yield of Treponema R8 and relieved the pantothenate requirement. Triculture of Treponema R8, Clostridium S9, and M. bryantii in pantothenate-deficient medium allowed Treponema R8 to outcompeted Clostridium S9 in continuous culture up to a dilution rate of 0.50 day(-1). These experiments demonstrate that cofactor and vitamin requirements can affect the competitive success of a microbial species.