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Chemotaxis as a navigation strategy to boost range expansion.


ABSTRACT: Bacterial chemotaxis, the directed movement of cells along gradients of chemoattractants, is among the best-characterized subjects in molecular biology1-10, but much less is known about its physiological roles11. It is commonly seen as a starvation response when nutrients run out, or as an escape response from harmful situations12-16. Here we identify an alternative role of chemotaxis by systematically examining the spatiotemporal dynamics of Escherichia coli in soft agar12,17,18. Chemotaxis in nutrient-replete conditions promotes the expansion of bacterial populations into unoccupied territories well before nutrients run out in the current environment. Low levels of chemoattractants act as aroma-like cues in this process, establishing the direction and enhancing the speed of population movement along the self-generated attractant gradients. This process of navigated range expansion spreads faster and yields larger population gains than unguided expansion following the canonical Fisher-Kolmogorov dynamics19,20 and is therefore a general strategy to promote population growth in spatially extended, nutrient-replete environments.

SUBMITTER: Cremer J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6883170 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Chemotaxis as a navigation strategy to boost range expansion.

Cremer Jonas J   Honda Tomoya T   Tang Ying Y   Wong-Ng Jerome J   Vergassola Massimo M   Hwa Terence T  

Nature 20191106 7784


Bacterial chemotaxis, the directed movement of cells along gradients of chemoattractants, is among the best-characterized subjects in molecular biology<sup>1-10</sup>, but much less is known about its physiological roles<sup>11</sup>. It is commonly seen as a starvation response when nutrients run out, or as an escape response from harmful situations<sup>12-16</sup>. Here we identify an alternative role of chemotaxis by systematically examining the spatiotemporal dynamics of Escherichia coli in  ...[more]

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