Dynamic social interactions and keystone species shape the diversity and stability of mixed-species biofilms – an example from dairy isolates - Dataset

We previously reported a bacterial four-species biofilm model comprising Stenotrophomonas rhizophila (SR), Bacillus licheniformis (BL), Microbacterium lacticum (ML), and Calidifontibacter indicus (CI) that were isolated from the surface of a dairy pasteuriser after cleaning and disinfection. These bacteria produced 3.13-fold more biofilm mass compared to the sum of biofilm masses in monoculture (https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1159434). In a subsequent experiment we confirmed that the observed community synergy resulted from dynamic social interactions among various species pairs, encompassing commensalism, exploitation, and amensalism. M. lacticum appeared to be the keystone species as it increased the growth of all other species that led to the synergy in biofilm mass. Interactions among the other three species (in the absence of M. lacticum) also contributed towards the synergy in biofilm mass. Bacterial cell-free-supernatants were also investigated to assess the nature of the observed synergy. The first four sheets of the Excel file contain raw cell count data for the four species (SR, BL, ML, and CI), recorded every 4 h over a 24 h period on the surface of stainless steel (SS) in the presence of brain-heart-infusion (BHI) medium and skim-milk (SM). Data related to individual bacterial cell counts in various mixed-species biofilms are also presented. These biofilms were developed on SS in BHI for h. Data related to bacterial biofilm masses in different mixed-species biofilm combinations are also presented, showcasing the effect of replacing one strain with its CFS. Species written in red indicate that their CFS was used, not their viable form.