Effects of the predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus on microbial communities: an investigation using mathematical modelling and chemostat arrays

Summers, J. Kimberley ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0092-7848 (2020). Effects of the predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus on microbial communities: an investigation using mathematical modelling and chemostat arrays. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Increasing antimicrobial resistance creates an urgent need for innovative treatments for bacterial infections. Predatory bacteria, such as Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, hold promise as one alternative, they predate a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria, and are non-toxic to eukaryotic cells. Microbial predators also make excellent model systems to study predator-prey dynamics. To exploit the potential of chemostats in understanding bacterial predation I developed a family of mathematical models and an array of chemostats.

Using the most biologically relevant model I explored predation under a wide range of circumstances and discovered a system prone to extreme oscillations. I predicted optimal values for prey size, predator attack rate and mortality. I used variants of this model to fit data, from the Sockett lab on dual predation of Escherichia coli by B. bacteriovorus and a bacteriophage. This modelling explained why dual predation was effective at reducing the density of E. coli when single predation was not.

Finally, I developed an array of chemostats to test model predictions, and a community of bacterial species, two prey, one decoy and B. bacteriovorus that can co-exist as a whole or in combinations for several weeks. These can be used to explore the effects of alternative prey and decoy species on predator effectiveness and give insights into the best ways of treating bacterial infections with B. bacteriovorus.

Type of Work:	Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)
Award Type:	Doctorates > Ph.D.
Supervisor(s):	Supervisor(s) Email ORCID Kreft, Jan-Ulrich UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-2351-224X Lovering, Andrew UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-1856-7975
Licence:	All rights reserved
College/Faculty:	Colleges > College of Life & Environmental Sciences
School or Department:	School of Biosciences
Funders:	Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Subjects:	Q Science > QR Microbiology
URI:	http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/10626

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