Berlin 2018 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 36: Cell Adhesion and Migration, Multicellular Systems II

BP 36.5: Talk

Friday, March 16, 2018, 10:45–11:00, H 1028

Force generation during collective migration of bacteria — •Benedikt Sabass — Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

Bacterial migration, aggregation, and even host infection depend on the generation of mechanical force. Here, we present a first study of bacterial cell-substrate traction using Myxococcus xanthus as a model organism. M. xanthus exhibits two common mechanisms of motility, namely, twitching and gliding. We find that these two mechanisms lead to complementary dynamics and traction patterns. Twitching leads to local, uncoordinated traction while gliding in groups allows for collective emergence of directional traction. The forces generated by each cell are significantly upregulated when cells contact each other in groups, which highlights the importance of cell-cell signaling for collective motility.