Bacteriophage-mediated competition in Bordetella bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Apparent competition between species is believed to be one of the principal driving forces that structure ecological communities, although the precise mechanisms have yet to be characterized. Here we develop a model system that isolates phage-mediated interactions by neutralizing resource competition with a large excess of nutrients, and consists of two genetically identical Bordetella strains that differ only in that one is the carrier of phage and the other is susceptible to the phage. We observe and quantify the competitive advantage of the bacterial strain bearing the prophage in both invading and in resisting invasion by the bacterial strain sensitive to the phage, and use our experimental measurements to develop a mathematical model of phage-mediated competition. The model predicts,

SUBMITTER: Joo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1634791 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature