Accepted_test

Methanotrophs, microorganisms utilizing methane as their primary carbon and energy source, play a crucial role in modern biotechnology. Methylococcus capsulatus, a well-studied methanotroph, faces growth limitations in monoculture due to inhibitory byproducts. Co-cultivation with other microorganisms capable of utilizing these byproducts presents a promising solution. However, understanding metabolic interactions within such microbial communities remains limited. To address this, we employed a novel systems biology approach, reconstructing constraint-based models of microbial communities, to assess strain interactions during co-cultivation. The objective of this study was to investigate the community model of Methylococcus capsulatus and its associated microorganisms, including Escherichia coli and Cupriavidus necator. We developed a pipeline for reconstructing constraint-based metabolic models of microbial communities, using simplified models of Escherichia coli as a basis. The resulting community model for Methylococcus capsulatus and E. coli demonstrated their interaction through acetate utilization by satellite strains, along with the secretion of metabolites such as formaldehyde and serine. Additionally, we conducted a quality assessment of the M. capsulatus and Cupriavidus necator models for subsequent model construction and analysis of their interactions. This study contributes to a better understanding of metabolic interactions in microbial communities and provides insights into the potential applications of co-cultivation strategies in biotechnology.