Coevolutionary arms races between bacteria and bacteriophage.

ABSTRACT: We propose a computational and theoretical framework for analyzing rapid coevolutionary dynamics of bacteriophage and bacteria in their ecological context. Bacteriophage enter host cells via membrane-bound surface receptors often responsible for nutrient uptake. As such, a selective pressure will exist for the bacteria to modify its receptor configuration and, in turn, for the phage to modify its tail fiber. A mathematical model of these trait adaptations is developed by using the framework of adaptive dynamics. Host strains differ in their efficiency of resource uptake and resistance to phage, whereas phage strains differ in their host preference for adsorption. We solve the evolutionary ecology model and find the conditions for coevolutionary branching and relevant dimensionless paramete

SUBMITTER: Weitz JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1172273 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature