The Ecological Dynamics of Secreted Bacteriocins and the Evolution of Multiple Bacteriocin Production in Escherichia Coli

Bacteria produce compounds known as bacteriocins that are toxic to other bacteria and these compounds play an important role in bacterial competition. Our understanding of the ecology and evolution of bacteriocin production is restricted to one class of bacteriocins, those released from the cell due to cell lysis. We present data showing that the bacteriocins that are exported from the cell without causing the death of the cell are more prevalent than those released via lysis. We demonstrate that the conceptual framework developed for bacteriocins released via lysis is inappropriate for the exported bacteriocins. Understanding the ecology and evolution of the exported bacteriocins is the goal of the proposed research.