Morphological optimization for access to dual oxidants in biofilms
A major theme driving research in biology is the relationship between form and function. In particular, a longstanding goal has been to understand how the evolution of multicellularity conferred fitness advantages. Here we show that biofilms of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa produce structures...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
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National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89111 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3102-0341 |
| _version_ | 1811095311928524800 |
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| author | Kempes, Chris Poling Okegbe, Chinweike Mears-Clarke, Zwoisaint Dietrich, Lars E. P. Follows, Michael J. |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Kempes, Chris Poling Okegbe, Chinweike Mears-Clarke, Zwoisaint Dietrich, Lars E. P. Follows, Michael J. |
| author_sort | Kempes, Chris Poling |
| collection | MIT |
| description | A major theme driving research in biology is the relationship between form and function. In particular, a longstanding goal has been to understand how the evolution of multicellularity conferred fitness advantages. Here we show that biofilms of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa produce structures that maximize cellular reproduction. Specifically, we develop a mathematical model of resource availability and metabolic response within colony features. This analysis accurately predicts the measured distribution of two types of electron acceptors: oxygen, which is available from the atmosphere, and phenazines, redox-active antibiotics produced by the bacterium. Using this model, we demonstrate that the geometry of colony structures is optimal with respect to growth efficiency. Because our model is based on resource dynamics, we also can anticipate shifts in feature geometry based on changes to the availability of electron acceptors, including variations in the external availability of oxygen and genetic manipulation that renders the cells incapable of phenazine production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T16:15:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/89111 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T16:15:13Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/891112022-10-02T07:17:00Z Morphological optimization for access to dual oxidants in biofilms Kempes, Chris Poling Okegbe, Chinweike Mears-Clarke, Zwoisaint Dietrich, Lars E. P. Follows, Michael J. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Kempes, Chris Poling Follows, Michael J. A major theme driving research in biology is the relationship between form and function. In particular, a longstanding goal has been to understand how the evolution of multicellularity conferred fitness advantages. Here we show that biofilms of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa produce structures that maximize cellular reproduction. Specifically, we develop a mathematical model of resource availability and metabolic response within colony features. This analysis accurately predicts the measured distribution of two types of electron acceptors: oxygen, which is available from the atmosphere, and phenazines, redox-active antibiotics produced by the bacterium. Using this model, we demonstrate that the geometry of colony structures is optimal with respect to growth efficiency. Because our model is based on resource dynamics, we also can anticipate shifts in feature geometry based on changes to the availability of electron acceptors, including variations in the external availability of oxygen and genetic manipulation that renders the cells incapable of phenazine production. National Science Foundation (U.S.). Graduate Research Fellowship Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Science Foundation (U.S.) 2014-08-29T14:40:20Z 2014-08-29T14:40:20Z 2014-01 2013-08 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0027-8424 1091-6490 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89111 Kempes, C. P., C. Okegbe, Z. Mears-Clarke, M. J. Follows, and L. E. P. Dietrich. “Morphological Optimization for Access to Dual Oxidants in Biofilms.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111, no. 1 (December 12, 2013): 208–213. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3102-0341 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1315521110 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) PNAS |
| spellingShingle | Kempes, Chris Poling Okegbe, Chinweike Mears-Clarke, Zwoisaint Dietrich, Lars E. P. Follows, Michael J. Morphological optimization for access to dual oxidants in biofilms |
| title | Morphological optimization for access to dual oxidants in biofilms |
| title_full | Morphological optimization for access to dual oxidants in biofilms |
| title_fullStr | Morphological optimization for access to dual oxidants in biofilms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphological optimization for access to dual oxidants in biofilms |
| title_short | Morphological optimization for access to dual oxidants in biofilms |
| title_sort | morphological optimization for access to dual oxidants in biofilms |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89111 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3102-0341 |
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