Selection for the bacterial capsule in the absence of biotic and abiotic aggressions depends on growth conditions

Abstract

Extracellular capsules protect the cell against both abiotic and biotic stresses such as bacteriophages and the host immune system. Yet, it is unclear if capsules contribute to fitness in the absence of external aggressions, in spite of the cost of production. Here, we enquire if there are conditions favouring the presence of the capsule in Klebsiella, where it is a major virulence factor. We shortly experimentally evolved 19 different strains, and show that small changes in growth media have a strong impact on the maintenance of the capsule. Competitions with capsule mutants in nine different strains showed that capsules provide [~]20% of fitness advantage in nutrient-poor conditions, due to faster growth rates and higher yields. In contrast, the capsule was readily lost in nutrient-rich media. The growth environment, as well as the capsule serotype, strongly influenced the role of the capsule in major virulence traits like hypermucoviscosity and biofilm formation. Our data shows that the capsule is selected for in situations lacking abiotic, but also biotic stresses and further supports that the capsule role in virulence may be a by-product of adaptation outside the host, hinting that it may have important roles in bacterial physiology yet to be discovered. SIGNIFICANCEBacterial capsules are a wide-spread virulence factor that limits efficacy of antimicrobial therapy. Whereas most studies focus on the role of the capsule in pathogenesis, very few have addressed the conditions under which the capsule is primarily selected for. Here, we show that small changes in growth media have a strong impact in the maintenance of the capsule and the fitness advantage they confer. Our results raise the question whether conditions lacking biotic or abiotic stresses, in addition of selecting for the maintenance of the capsule, can also play a role in selecting for serotype variation. Our results further support that the role of the capsule in virulence may be a by-product of adaptation outside the host, hinting that there may be other functionalities yet to be discovered for it.