title: Modeling of competitive mutualistic relationships. Application to cellulose degradation by Streptomyces sp. strains.
abstract: A "cascade" model depicts microbial degradation of a complex nutrient/substrate through a succession of intermediate compounds. Each stage is characterized by a particular species producing a typical degradation enzyme induced by its own degradation product. The final compound of the cascade consists of a single assimilable substrate used by all species. This results in a competition situation, whereas the contribution of all strains to the production of a complete set of efficient enzymes generates a mutualistic relationship. The model was shown to be appropriate to describe degradation of cellulose by a consortium of Streptomyces sp. strains. The simplicity and the model capacity for generalization are promising and could be used for various degradation processes both at laboratory and environmental scales.
authors: Laboratoire de Physiologie et Ecologie Microbienne, Université libre de Bruxelles, 642, Rue Engeland, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Jacques
authors: J
authors: Thierie
authors: Michel J
authors: MJ
authors: Penninckx
mesh_terms: D002480:Cellulase / Q000378:metabolism; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism*; D043366:Cellulose 1,4-beta-Cellobiosidase / Q000378:metabolism; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017753:Ecosystem; D008954:Models, Biological; D012984:Software; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose; D002480:Cellulase; D043366:Cellulose 1,4-beta-Cellobiosidase