Probabilistic transition from unstable predator-prey interaction to stable coexistence of Dictyostelium discoideum and Escherichia coli

Predator-prey interactions have been found at all levels within ecosystems. Despite their ecological ubiquity and importance, the process of transition to a stable coexistent state has been poorly verified experimentally. To investigate the stabilization process of predator-prey interactions, we previously constructed a reproducible experimental predator-prey system between Dictyostelium discoideum and Escherichia coli, and showed that the phenotypically changed E. coli contributed to stabilization of the system. In the present study, we focused on the transition to stable coexistence of both species after the phenotypic change in E. coli. Analysis of E. coli cells isolated from co-culture plates as single colony enabled us to readily identify the appearance of phenotypically changed E. coli that differed in colony morphology and growth rate. It was also demonstrated that two types of viscous colony, i.e., the dense-type and sparse-type, differing in spatial distribution of both species emerged probabilistically and all of the viscous colonies maintained stably were of the sparse-type. These results suggest that the phenotypically changed E. coli may produce two types of viscous colonies probabilistically. The difference in spatial distribution would affect localized interactions between both species and then cause probabilistic stabilization of predator-prey interactions.