syntrophy

Syntrophy is a mutually beneficial relationship between different microorganisms that cooperate to break down substances which neither can effectively decompose alone. For example, one microbe may partially degrade a compound into simpler molecules, and another microbe then consumes those molecules to continue the process. This teamwork often allows reactions that are energetically unfavorable on their own to occur, especially in environments like soils or sediments. Syntrophy is essential in natural processes like nutrient cycling and is also important in some industrial applications, such as wastewater treatment, where microbial communities work together to efficiently process waste.