Fig. 4: Conceptual representation of predicted interaction modes for a hypothetical bacterial genome analysed with our trait-based approach.
From: A comparative whole-genome approach identifies bacterial traits for marine microbial interactions
The bacterium is assigned to a GFC, visualized here as a jigsaw puzzle, and every puzzle piece represents one of the linked trait clusters (LTCs) possessed in that GFC. LTCs 3 and 5 (marked in red) are the core LTCs that are present in any GFC. LTC 19 holds traits mediating potential interactions with phytoplankton cells, while LTC 11 confers the capability to interact with other bacteria on organic particles and LTC 17 enables interactions with other eukaryotic hosts such as zooplankton. Green arrows indicate traits with positive effects (e.g. enhancing growth), grey arrows traits mediating metabolites/chemical exchange, movement or attachment, and red arrows traits with negative effects (e.g. pathogenicity). A solid arrow is used when the mediated mechanism has already been described in the literature, while a dashed arrow indicates a yet uncharacterized mechanism.
