Collective self-caging of active filaments in virtual confinement

Motility coupled to responsive behavior is essential for many microorganisms to seek and establish appropriate habitats. One of the simplest possible responses, reversing the direction of motion, is believed to enable filamentous cyanobacteria to form stable aggregates or accumulate in suitable ligh...

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Main Authors: Kurjahn, M, Abbaspour, L, Papenfuß, F, Bittihn, P, Golestanian, R, Mahault, B, Karpitschka, S
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Nature Research 2024
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author Kurjahn, M
Abbaspour, L
Papenfuß, F
Bittihn, P
Golestanian, R
Mahault, B
Karpitschka, S
author_facet Kurjahn, M
Abbaspour, L
Papenfuß, F
Bittihn, P
Golestanian, R
Mahault, B
Karpitschka, S
author_sort Kurjahn, M
collection OXFORD
description Motility coupled to responsive behavior is essential for many microorganisms to seek and establish appropriate habitats. One of the simplest possible responses, reversing the direction of motion, is believed to enable filamentous cyanobacteria to form stable aggregates or accumulate in suitable light conditions. Here, we demonstrate that filamentous morphology in combination with responding to light gradients by reversals has consequences far beyond simple accumulation: Entangled aggregates form at the boundaries of illuminated regions, harnessing the boundary to establish local order. We explore how the light pattern, in particular its boundary curvature, impacts aggregation. A minimal mechanistic model of active flexible filaments resembles the experimental findings, thereby revealing the emergent and generic character of these structures. This phenomenon may enable elongated microorganisms to generate adaptive colony architectures in limited habitats or guide the assembly of biomimetic fibrous materials.
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spelling oxford-uuid:ecc1648b-276b-4ad8-b4fb-2b30bd8d19ff2024-10-23T20:23:30ZCollective self-caging of active filaments in virtual confinementJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:ecc1648b-276b-4ad8-b4fb-2b30bd8d19ffEnglishJisc Publications RouterNature Research2024Kurjahn, MAbbaspour, LPapenfuß, FBittihn, PGolestanian, RMahault, BKarpitschka, SMotility coupled to responsive behavior is essential for many microorganisms to seek and establish appropriate habitats. One of the simplest possible responses, reversing the direction of motion, is believed to enable filamentous cyanobacteria to form stable aggregates or accumulate in suitable light conditions. Here, we demonstrate that filamentous morphology in combination with responding to light gradients by reversals has consequences far beyond simple accumulation: Entangled aggregates form at the boundaries of illuminated regions, harnessing the boundary to establish local order. We explore how the light pattern, in particular its boundary curvature, impacts aggregation. A minimal mechanistic model of active flexible filaments resembles the experimental findings, thereby revealing the emergent and generic character of these structures. This phenomenon may enable elongated microorganisms to generate adaptive colony architectures in limited habitats or guide the assembly of biomimetic fibrous materials.
spellingShingle Kurjahn, M
Abbaspour, L
Papenfuß, F
Bittihn, P
Golestanian, R
Mahault, B
Karpitschka, S
Collective self-caging of active filaments in virtual confinement
title Collective self-caging of active filaments in virtual confinement
title_full Collective self-caging of active filaments in virtual confinement
title_fullStr Collective self-caging of active filaments in virtual confinement
title_full_unstemmed Collective self-caging of active filaments in virtual confinement
title_short Collective self-caging of active filaments in virtual confinement
title_sort collective self caging of active filaments in virtual confinement
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