Sublethal envelope-targeting silver nanoparticles induce ethanolamine-mediated cross-feeding and stabilize competitive pathogens

Physiological assays identified nitrogen, rather than carbon, as the principal growth-promoting currency of this cross-feeding interaction. Deletion of eutBC in AgNP-exposed cocultures abolished the coexistence phenotype and restored an outcome similar to that observed in the absence of AgNP exposure. In simulated eutrophic water, sublethal AgNPs also enhanced S. aureus survival through the E. coli Eut pathway, supporting the environmental relevance of this mechanism.

Mass-matched Ag⁺ exposure neither induced EA utilization nor promoted more balanced coexistence. These findings indicate that sublethal envelope-targeting nanomaterials can alter microbial metabolism and competitive relationships in this two-species model, with potential implications for interactions in contaminated water systems.