19-BBSRC-NSF/BIO Phage host range evolution in spatially structured microbiomes

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Bacteriophages, the viral parasites of bacteria, are major agents of bacterial death in microbial communities or microbiomes. Previous work has shown that phage host range, the type of bacteria a given phage can successfully infect, can evolve rapidly. This evolution alters the impact that phage have on the composition and function of microbial communities. However, this previous work has focused on bacteria growing in well-mixed conditions while many bacteria in microbiomes exist in aggregations known as biofilms. Not only is the spatial arrangement of bacteria different in biofilms, but also their physiology or lifestyle. The proposed research will pair state of the art computer simulations with cutting edge experimental approaches to develop and test theory for predicting the impact that bacteriophage have on bacterial communities. This work will improve our ability to manage microbial communities that are vital for human health and industrial applications.