Physical limits on bacterial navigation in dynamic environments

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
Andrew M HeinSimon A Levin

Abstract

Many chemotactic bacteria inhabit environments in which chemicals appear as localized pulses and evolve by processes such as diffusion and mixing. We show that, in such environments, physical limits on the accuracy of temporal gradient sensing govern when and where bacteria can accurately measure the cues they use to navigate. Chemical pulses are surrounded by a predictable dynamic region, outside which bacterial cells cannot resolve gradients above noise. The outer boundary of this region initially expands in proportion to the square root of time before rapidly contracting. Our analysis also reveals how chemokinesis-the increase in swimming speed many bacteria exhibit when absolute chemical concentration exceeds a threshold-may serve to enhance chemotactic accuracy and sensitivity when the chemical landscape is dynamic. More generally, our framework provides a rigorous method for partitioning bacteria into populations that are 'near' and 'far' from chemical hotspots in complex, rapidly evolving environments such as those that dominate aquatic ecosystems.

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Citations

Aug 9, 2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Andrew M HeinSimon A Levin
Mar 7, 2017·PLoS Computational Biology·Junjiajia LongThierry Emonet
Apr 20, 2018·PLoS Computational Biology·Justus A KromerBenjamin M Friedrich
Oct 30, 2019·Nature Ecology & Evolution·Andrew M Hein, Benjamin T Martin
Nov 21, 2019·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Eleanor K LutzJeffrey A Riffell
Nov 18, 2018·The ISME Journal·Vicente I FernandezRoman Stocker
Apr 6, 2019·Mathematical Medicine and Biology : a Journal of the IMA·R N Bearon, W M Durham
May 18, 2019·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Douglas R BrumleyRoman Stocker
Apr 4, 2020·Physical Review Letters·Justus A KromerBenjamin M Friedrich
Mar 16, 2021·The European Physical Journal. E, Soft Matter·Theresa JakuszeitOttavio A Croze
Jul 7, 2021·FEMS Microbiology Reviews·Remy ColinVictor Sourjik
Jul 8, 2021·Cell Host & Microbe·Catherine D RobinsonKaren Guillemin
Oct 22, 2021·PLoS Computational Biology·Arjun ChandrasekharDeborah M Gordon

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