Predator avoidance promotes inter-bacterial symbiosis with myxobacteria in polymicrobial communities
Shailaja Khanal Pokharel, Sheila Walsh, Nawal Shehata, Andrew Ahearne, Daniel Belin, Britney Larson, Benjamin Tabor, Daniel Wall, D. Cole Stevens
The paper isolates and characterizes myxobacterial consortia from soil, showing predation avoidance and metabolic complementarity drive stable inter-bacterial symbiosis.
bioRxiv · Feb 14, 2026 · PreprintMicrobiology