Open AccessThe Ecology and Evolution of Amoeba-Bacterium Interactions
Author(s) -
Yuejun Shi,
David C. Queller,
Yuehui Tian,
Siyi Zhang,
Qingyun Yan,
Zhili He,
Zhenzhen He,
Chenyuan Wu,
Cheng Wang,
Longfei Shu
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
applied and environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 324
eISSN - 1070-6291
pISSN - 0099-2240
DOI - 10.1128/aem.01866-20
Subject(s) - amoeba (genus) , biology , symbiosis , ecology , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics
Amoebae are protists that have complicated relationships with bacteria, covering the whole spectrum of symbiosis. Amoeba-bacterium interactions contribute to the study of predation, symbiosis, pathogenesis, and human health. Given the complexity of their relationships, it is necessary to understand the ecology and evolution of their interactions. In this paper, we provide an updated review of the current understanding of amoeba-bacterium interactions. We start by discussing the diversity of amoebae and their bacterial partners. We also define three types of ecological interactions between amoebae and bacteria and discuss their different outcomes. Finally, we focus on the implications of amoeba-bacterium interactions on human health, horizontal gene transfer, drinking water safety, and the evolution of symbiosis. In conclusion, amoeba-bacterium interactions are excellent model systems to investigate a wide range of scientific questions. Future studies should utilize advanced techniques to address research gaps, such as detecting hidden diversity, lack of amoeba genomes, and the impacts of amoeba predation on the microbiome.