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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 15: Postersession III
BP 15.86: Poster
Dienstag, 13. März 2018, 14:00–16:00, Poster B
From solitary swimmers to swarms and back: trypanosomes on their journey through the tsetse fly — •Timothy Krüger1, Sarah Schuster1, Philip Kollmannsberger2, and Markus Engstler1,2 — 1Cell and Developmental Biology, Biocentre, University of Würzburg, Germany — 2Centre for Computational and Theoretical Biology, University of Würzburg, Germany
The flagellate microswimmer Trypanosoma brucei exhibits a complex developmental cycle during a journey through the different microenvironments of the tsetse fly host. For the trypanosomes this involves crossing various barriers, confined surroundings, as well as swimming against flow and peristaltic movement. Concomitantly, they undergo radical morphological changes. The parasite`s motility, which is directly dependent on morphology, is essential for its survival and successful development.
This work details cell morphology, motility, and collective behaviour of trypanosome developmental stages from the tsetse fly, using high spatiotemporal resolution microscopy. Using fluorescently labelled parasites, swimming patterns of solitary swimmers were analysed in vivo and in vitro, as well as collective motion at the single cell level in vivo. We show that trypanosomes are able to synchronise their flagellar beats and produce superordinate wave patterns at high cell concentrations, probably by hydrodynamic self-organisation inside the fly interstices. Additionally, by using light sheet fluorescence microscopy, we provide 3D-analyses of tissue geometry and topology with unprecedented resolution.