Characteristic values of batch cultures of Procryptobia sorokini G5, B11, A5 and Paraphysomonas imperforata A2, feeding on Pseudoalteromonas sp. B2, B3 or B4.

Cell dry weights of flagellates, mf, and bacteria, mb, measured during growth and stationary phase, respectively. Yield of flagellates per bacterium taken up, Yf/b, number of bacterial cells needed to produce one flagellate cell Yb/f, and gross growth efficiency, GGE were evaluated from Figs 1C, 1D, 2C and 2D, respectively (data from batch cultures of P. imperforata A2 feeding on Pseudoalteromonas sp. B2 in Fig B in S1 File. Maximal clearance, Clmax, and ingestion rates, Imax, are estimated by fitting numerical solutions to Eqs. A and D in S1 File to experimentally determined concentrations of flagellate and bacterial cells (Figs 1A, 1b, 2A and 2B). Maximal specific growth rate, μmax, and half saturation constant, Kb, are calculated from Eqs. E and H, respectively. Final bacterial concentration, Cb.end. Three batch cultures were carried out for each combination of flagellate and bacterial isolate.