Impact of periodic reversals on bacterial protein exchange

POSTER

Abstract

Collective motion has been observed in groups of many living organisms such as herd of birds, school of fish, swarms of insects and bacteria. Swarming behavior of the bacterium {\it Myxococcus xanthus} which is among the most social bacteria, will be discussed in this talk. Experimental observations suggest that {\it M. xanthus} bacteria share certain outer membrane proteins when they are in physical contact. The exchange of protein may help bacteria coordinate their swarming behavior in order to survive the harsh conditions or prey on other bacteria. Combination of computer simulations and cell tracking from experimental data is used to show that periodic reversals of direction of motion of individual bacterium at specific frequency is essential for the population to optimize exchange of the proteins. This model prediction is confirmed in experiment. The outer membrane proteins include those involved in bacterial motility system, and their efficient exchange promotes collective behavior of the cells and expansion rate of the population.

Authors

  • Aboutaleb Amiri

    University of Notre Dame, Physics Department

  • Matt Bowers

    University of Notre Dame, University of Bari, Gran Sasso Science Institute, JINA and UND, UTK, LLNL, OU, INFN, TAMU, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Division of Nuclear Physics, National Centre for Nuclear Research, Warsaw, Notre Dame University, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Univ of Notre Dame, Weizmann Institute, Univ of Birmingham, Univ of Michigan, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, The Hebrew University Jerusalem, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne, Professor, University of Notre Dame, Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame, PhD student, Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame, University of Richmond, University of Surrey, University of Richmond, University of Oslo, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Notre Dame, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Department of Applied Computational Mathematics and Statistics, IUPUI Department of Physics, Indianapolis, IN, Ohio Northern University, Northern Kentucky University, Physics Department, Unversity of Missouri, Physics Department, REU Summer Intern, Sichuan University, Purdue University, Princeton University, Monmouth College, ETH, Switzerland, EPFL, Switzerland, Institut Laue-Langevin, France, Kent State University, University of Tennessee, Indiana University South Bend, University Of Notre Dame

  • Matt Bowers

    University of Notre Dame, University of Bari, Gran Sasso Science Institute, JINA and UND, UTK, LLNL, OU, INFN, TAMU, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Division of Nuclear Physics, National Centre for Nuclear Research, Warsaw, Notre Dame University, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Univ of Notre Dame, Weizmann Institute, Univ of Birmingham, Univ of Michigan, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, The Hebrew University Jerusalem, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne, Professor, University of Notre Dame, Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame, PhD student, Associate Professor, University of Notre Dame, University of Richmond, University of Surrey, University of Richmond, University of Oslo, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Notre Dame, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Department of Applied Computational Mathematics and Statistics, IUPUI Department of Physics, Indianapolis, IN, Ohio Northern University, Northern Kentucky University, Physics Department, Unversity of Missouri, Physics Department, REU Summer Intern, Sichuan University, Purdue University, Princeton University, Monmouth College, ETH, Switzerland, EPFL, Switzerland, Institut Laue-Langevin, France, Kent State University, University of Tennessee, Indiana University South Bend, University Of Notre Dame

  • Mark Alber

    University of Notre Dame, Department of Applied Computational Mathematics and Statistics, ACMS, University of Notre Dame