Abstract
We apply mathematical modelling to explore bacteria-phage interaction mediated by condition-dependent lysogeny, where the type of the phage infection cycle (lytic or lysogenic) is determined by the ambient temperature. In a natural environment, daily and seasonal variations of the temperature cause a frequent switch between the two infection scenarios, making the bacteria-phage interaction with condition-dependent lysogeny highly complex. As a case study, we explore the natural control of the pathogenic bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei by its dominant phage. B. pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, which is among the most fatal diseases in Southeast Asia and across the world. We assess the spatial aspect of B. pseudomallei-phage interactions in soil, which has been so far overlooked in the literature, using the reaction-diffusion PDE-based framework with external forcing through daily and seasonal parameter variation. Through extensive computer simulations for realistic biological parameters, we obtain results suggesting that phages may regulate B. pseudomallei numbers across seasons in endemic areas, and that the abundance of highly pathogenic phage-free bacteria shows a clear annual cycle. The model predicts particularly dangerous soil layers characterised by high pathogen densities. Our findings can potentially help refine melioidosis prevention and monitoring practices.
Highlights
We apply mathematical modelling to explore bacteria-phage interaction mediated by conditiondependent lysogeny, where the type of the phage infection cycle is determined by the ambient temperature
The switch between the lytic and the lysogenic infection cycles occurs at temperatures of around 35 °C15,16 which has important consequences for bacteria-phage interactions: daily and seasonal variation of the temperature in the main endemic areas of Southeast Asia and Australia should cause a transition between the two infection cycles
The practical importance of the problem comes from the fact that melioidosis—the disease caused by infection of the pathogenic bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei—is estimated to be the third most fatal in Southeast Asian countries[7,12]
Summary
We apply mathematical modelling to explore bacteria-phage interaction mediated by conditiondependent lysogeny, where the type of the phage infection cycle (lytic or lysogenic) is determined by the ambient temperature. Daily and seasonal variations of the temperature cause a frequent switch between the two infection scenarios, making the bacteria-phage interaction with condition-dependent lysogeny highly complex. We use modelling to explore the regulation of the pathogenic bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei, by its dominant phage with a temperature-dependent life cycle switch in complex spatio-temporal environments. The switch between the lytic and the lysogenic infection cycles occurs at temperatures of around 35 °C15,16 which has important consequences for bacteria-phage interactions: daily and seasonal variation of the temperature in the main endemic areas of Southeast Asia and Australia should cause a transition between the two infection cycles. We are interested in predicting natural control of B. pseudomallei by the phage by means of computational modelling in order to provide important knowledge to facilitate the natural bacterial control by the phage via adjusting the existing agricultural practices
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
