Lipopeptide-mediated bacterial interaction enables cooperative predator defense

Significance Natural products are important mediators in interacting microbial communities. Here, we show that bacteria can defend themselves against a common predator by teaming up. This form of cooperative defense relies on the production of a linear lipopeptide by a Pseudomonas species, which induces the production of peptidases and proteases in a Paenibacillus species. These enzymes degrade the lipopeptide into fragments which are highly toxic to the amoebal predator. Investigating microbial interactions enables identification of novel chemical entities with potent biological functions.