Enterococcal Metabolite Cues Facilitate Interspecies Niche Modulation and Polymicrobial Infection Transcriptome

Enterococcus faecalis is frequently associated with polymicrobial infections of the urinary tract, indwelling catheters, and surgical wound sites. E. faecalis co-exist with E. coli and other pathogens in wound infections but the mechanisms that govern polymicrobial colonization and pathogenesis are poorly defined. During infection, bacteria must overcome multiple host defenses, including nutrient iron limitation, to persist and cause disease. In this study, we investigated the contribution of E. faecalis to mixed species infection when iron availability is restricted.