microbes

microbes

1. Predation among Microbes

   • -many microbes feed on each other
   • protozoa often eat bacteria amoebas eat other microbes
   • bacteria feeding on other bacteria
     • vampirovibro attacks & kills some species of algae
     • Myxcoccus- attacks & kills some bacteria
     • bdellovibrio enters bacteria and digests from within

2. Parasites of other microbes

   • bacteriophages- parasites of bacteria
   • some bacteria are parasites for protozoa
     • ex. Legionella is a parasite of amoebas
   • Virophage are viruses that parasitize other viruses

3. Competition

   • many organisms compete directly with each other
   • if found in the body (normal microbiota) compete with potential invaders & prevent foregien microbes from infecting the body
     • Lactobacillus acidophilus in the vagina prevent growth of other pathogens

4. Cooperation (mutualism)

   • some microbes help each other
     • the waste product of some microbes are used a food for another
   • Nitrosomonas excretes the toxic waste product NO2(nitrite) Nitrobacteria uses NO2 as an energy source and thus eliminates it