Is it selfish to be filamentous in biofilms? Individual-based modeling links microbial growth strategies with morphology using the new and modular iDynoMiCS 2.0
Authors: Cockx Bastiaan J R , Foster Tim , Clegg Robert J , Alden Kieran , Arya Sankalp , Stekel Dov J , Smets Barth F , Kreft Jan-Ulrich 
Published: July 2023

Microbial communities are found in all habitable environments and often occur in assemblages with self-organized spatial structures developing over time. This complexity can only be understood, predicted, and managed by combining experiments with mathematical modeling. Individual-based models are particularly suited if individual heterogeneity, local interactions, and adaptive behavior are of interest. Here we present the completely overhauled software platform, theindividual-basedDynamicsofMicrobialCommunitiesSimulator, iDynoMiCS 2.0, which enables researchers to specify a range of different models without having to program. Key new features and improvements are: (1) Substantially enhanced ease of use (graphical user interface, editor for model specification, unit conversions, data analysis and visualization and more). (2) Increased performance and scalability enabling simulations of up to 10 million agents in 3D biofilms. (3) Kinetics can be specified with any arithmetic function. (4) Agent properties can be assembled from orthogonal modules for pick and mix flexibility. (5) Force-based mechanical interaction framework enabling attractive forces and non-spherical agent morphologies as an alternative to the shoving algorithm. The new iDynoMiCS 2.0 has undergone intensive testing, from unit tests to a suite of increasingly complex numerical tests and the standard Benchmark 3 based on nitrifying biofilms. A second test case was based on the “biofilms promote altruism” study previously implemented in BacSim because competition outcomes are highly sensitive to the developing spatial structures due to positive feedback between cooperative individuals. We extended this case study by adding morphology to find that (i) filamentous bacteria outcompete spherical bacteria regardless of growth strategy and (ii) non-cooperating filaments outcompete cooperating filaments because filaments can escape the stronger competition between themselves. In conclusion, the new substantially improved iDynoMiCS 2.0 joins a growing number of platforms for individual-based modeling of microbial communities with specific advantages and disadvantages that we discuss, giving users a wider choice.

Author summary

Microbes are fascinating in their own right and play a tremendously important role in ecosystems. They often form complex, self-organized communities with spatial heterogeneity that is changing over time. Such complexity is challenging to understand and manage without the help of mathematical models. Individual-based models are one type of mathematical model that is particularly suited if differences between individual microbes, local interactions and adaptive behavior are important. We have developed a completely overhauled version of iDynoMiCS, a software that allows users to develop, run and analyze a wide range of individual-based models without having to program the software themselves. There are several capability enhancements and numerous small improvements, for example the ability to model different shapes of cells combined with physically realistic mechanical interactions between neighboring cells. We showcase this by simulating the competition between filaments, long chains of cells, with single cells and find that filaments outcompete single cells as they can spread quickly to new territory with higher levels of resources. Users now have a wider choice of platforms so we provide guidance on which platform might be most suitable for a given purpose.