Selective enrichment of active bacterial taxa in the Microcystis associated microbiome during colony growth

The toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis causes worldwide health concerns, being frequently found in freshwater and estuarine ecosystems. Under natural conditions, Microcystis spp. show a colonial lifestyle involving a phycosphere populated by a highly diverse associated microbiome. In a previous study, we have proposed that colony formation and growth may be achieved through mechanisms of multispecies bacterial biofilm formation. Starting with single-cells, specific bacteria would be recruited from the environment to attach and create a buoyant biofilm or colony.