English: WT and GASP E. coli coexist in a single-patch habitat.

(a) Microscopy pictures showing a section of a habitat consisting of a single patch (8500×100×15 micrometer) at three time-points, the white bar indicates 50 micrometer. WT (green) and GASP (red) cells develop into a structured community. Initially (t=1 hour) planktonic cells colonize the habitat, a day later many multi-cellular aggregates have formed. The composition of these aggregates (indicated by their color) changes over time. (b) GASP fraction through time of microhabitats consisting of a single patch with a volume equal to the total volume of an 85-patch microhabitat. Mean of experiments (red solid line), black dashed lines indicate the mean the standard deviation.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0077042.g005