Modeling tailed bacteriophage adsorption: Insight into mechanisms

The process of a bacteriophage attaching to its host cell is a combination of physical diffusion, biochemical surface interactions, and reaction-induced conformational changes in receptor proteins. Local variations in the physico-chemical properties of the medium, the phage׳s mode of action, and the physiology of the host cell also all influence adsorption kinetics. These characteristics can affect a specific phage׳s binding capabilities and the susceptibility of the host cell to phage attack. Despite the complexity of this process, describing adsorption kinetics of a population of bacteriophages binding to a culture of cells has been accomplished with relatively simple equations governed by the laws of mass-action. Many permutations and modifications to the basic set of reactions have been suggested through the years. While no single solution emerges as a universal answer, this review provides the fundamentals of current phage adsorption modeling and will guide researchers in the selection of valid, appropriate models.