Linking single cell behaviors to multicellular pattern formation is currently a major challenge in developmental biology. The advent of computational approaches associating deep imaging, machine learning and modeling now paves the way to a mechanistic understanding of large-scale processes at molecular resolution. In this project, we propose to use the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus to elucidate how dynamic cell polarity can lead to deep developmental transitions during the predation process. Specifically, following prey consumption and growth, Myxococcus cells self-organize in cellular waves that propagate across the entire prey colony. While it is known that dynamic cell polarity is critical for synchronization, how this phenomenon emerges and spreads over scales in still unknown. To elucidate this mechanism, the two partners will combine a novel imaging assay with high-throughput imaging and modeling at the mesoscale. The results should provide the first systems level understanding of this unique bacterial pattern formation.
AMIBE A multiscale analysis of bacterial pattern formation during development
Résumé
Mots clés
- bacteriacell motilitycell polaritymathematical modelingpattern formation
Partenaires du projet
INSB
Tâm MIGNOT
ICJ
(UMR7283) Marseille, France
INSMI
Vincent Vincent Calvez
ICJ
(UMR 5208) France
INS2I
PHILIPPE MULLER
Institut de recherche en informatique de Toulouse
(UMR5505) France