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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 2: Physics of Cells I
BP 2.4: Talk
Monday, March 26, 2012, 10:30–10:45, H 1028
Cell shape and behaviour for accurate chemotaxis — •Luke Tweedy1,2, Börn Meier3,4, Jürgen Stephan3,4, Doris Heinrich3,4, and Robert Endres1,2 — 1Division of Molecular Biosciences, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom — 2Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, London, United Kingdom — 3Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany — 4Center for NanoScience, Munich, Germany
The behaviour of an organism often reflects a strategy for coping with its environment. Such behaviour in higher organisms can often be reduced to a few stereotyped modes of movement due to physiological limitations, but finding such modes in amoeboid cells is more difficult as they lack these constraints. Here, we investigate the connection of stereotypical cell shape and movement in the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum with its ability to accurately chemotax. We show that the incredible variety in amoeboid shape can be reduced to a few principal modes, which capture the majority of variability in the population. The cell*s preference for modes depends on the chemical environment. We further construct a parameter-free model using the principle of maximum caliber, which accurately predicts long-term cell behaviour. Stereotypy in cells may thus inform our understanding of cell physiology, evolution, and strategy, and may even be used to screen cell health.