Ligand cross-feeding resolves bacterial vitamin B(12) auxotrophies. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38720071/)

These scientists were curious about how some tiny marine bacteria get the vitamin B(12) they need to survive. They found that two types of bacteria, Colwellia and Roseovarius, work together to make B(12).

Colwellia makes a part of B(12) called alpha-ribazole and releases it into the environment. Roseovarius then uses this alpha-ribazole to finish making the B(12) vitamin. But here's the interesting part - Roseovarius only releases the B(12) when it's grown alongside Colwellia and when a certain virus inside Roseovarius gets activated.

The scientists think that when the virus gets activated, it causes Roseovarius to release B(12), which helps Colwellia grow. This interaction between the two bacteria is like a teamwork where they help each other survive in the ocean.

The scientists also found that this type of cooperation between bacteria to make B(12) is common in the ocean. They discovered that there are more bacteria that can use the parts of B(12 to make the vitamin than there are bacteria that can make the whole B(12) themselves.

This study helps us understand how these tiny organisms in the ocean work together to get the nutrients they need to live. It's like a puzzle where each piece fits together to keep the ecosystem balanced and healthy.

Wienhausen G., Moraru C., Bruns S., Tran DQ., Sultana S., Wilkes H., Dlugosch L., Azam F., Simon M. Ligand cross-feeding resolves bacterial vitamin B(12) auxotrophies. Nature. 2024 May;629(8013):886-892. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07396-y. Epub 2024 May 8.