Modelling the interaction between bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts

• The paper presents a mathematical model simulating the interaction between bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts.
• Previously known models were enhanced with an ability to model the system influenced by other environmental factor such as pH and temperature.
• An interactive website has been developed, providing possibility for easy calculation and visualisation of simulation with user adjustable parameters (http://www.phisite.org/model).

A mathematical model simulating the interaction between bacteriophages and their bacterial hosts has been developed. It is based on other known models describing this type of interaction, enhanced with an ability to model the system influenced by other environmental factor such as pH and temperature. This could be used for numerous estimations of growth rate, when the pH and/or the temperature of the environment are not constant. The change of pH or the temperature greatly affects the specific growth rate which has an effect on the final results of the simulation. Since the model aims on practical application and easy accessibility, an interactive website has been developed where users can run simulations with their own parameters and easily calculate and visualise the result of simulation. The web simulation is accessible at the URL http://www.phisite.org/model.