Fig. 4

Model for starch utilisation with division of labour in a two-strain consortium. Each cell is modelled using the Weiβe modelling framework adapted to account for the additional expression of either α-amylase (ea) or glucoamylase (eb). These amylases each catalyse a step in the degradation of starch. The first step is an α-amylase-dependent reaction, which degrades starch (s0) and produces maltodextrin intermediates of various lengths (s1). These intermediates are then degraded to glucose (s) via a glucoamylase-dependent reaction. Glucose is imported into each cell and the intracellular molecules of the two cells are modelled with the whole-cell model based on Weiβe et al. [33] (Fig. 2)