Fig. 5: Schematic model of the findings revealed in our study.
From: Plasmid-encoded toxin defence mediates mutualistic microbial interactions
Our data demonstrate that the antibacterial toxin, reuterin, produced by L. reuteri (in orange) is detoxified by the plasmid-encoded defence gene (in red) of E. faecalis (in blue), thus allowing E. faecalis survival and use of L. reuteri-produced metabolites to increase its fitness. The beneficial effect becomes mutual when the metabolites produced by E. faecalis are consumed by L. reuteri, which in turn also increases the latter’s fitness.
