Bacterial antagonism in host-associated microbial communities

Interspecies competition shapes communities The gut microbiota of mammals is diverse and dynamic, and gut bacteria respond sensitively to diet and drug intake. Nevertheless, in a healthy adult, microbial community composition remains remarkably stable over time, despite being highly individual. García-Bayona and Comstock review the mechanisms that gut bacterial species use to jostle for space and resources and maintain their populations in the face of intense and varied competition. Bacteria have evolved a range of antibiotics, bacteriocins, toxins, and delivery devices to enable interspecies conflict. These interbacterial weapons possess a spectrum of specificities and range from those that target strains of their own species to broad-acting bacteriocides. This toxic armamentarium provides a valuable resource for potential therapeutic development. Science , this issue p. eaat2456