Lesson plan
Bacterial patterns
condensation and pattern formation under pH stress through negative chemotaxis. Populations of bacteria may form macroscopic patterns often visible to the naked eye. Pattern formation may arise from mechanisms such as growth, motility, and chemical signaling between cells, and relies on positive feedback between several physical, chemical and biological variables. During growth on solid surfaces, bacterial colonies may evolve different morphologies depending on growth conditions. Different patterns emerge as a result from feedback between nutrient consumption, waste secretion, substrate stiffness, and cellular growth. In liquid and porous media, bacteria may form dynamic patterns by swimming toward each other. By modulating their local chemical environment, cells communicate and attract others to form ordered patterns of millimetric condensates composed of swimming cells. This type of pattern formation relies on feedback between the ability of cells to migrate toward favorable conditions using their chemotaxis system, and the cell-mediated chemical changes to the environment. Bacterial pattern formation has been observed and studied in many model organisms, such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus mirabilis, and various Pseudomonas.
Article summary
condensation and pattern formation under pH stress through negative chemotaxis. Populations of bacteria may form macroscopic patterns often visible to the naked eye. Pattern formation may arise from mechanisms such as growth, motility, and chemical signaling between cells, and relies on positive feedback between several physical, chemical and biological variables. During growth on solid surfaces, bacterial colonies may evolve different morphologies depending on growth conditions. Different patterns emerge as a result from feedback between nutrient consumption, waste secretion, substrate stiffness, and cellular growth. In liquid and porous media, bacteria may form dynamic patterns by swimming toward each other. By modulating their local chemical environment, cells communicate and attract others to form ordered patterns of millimetric condensates composed of swimming cells. This type of pattern formation relies on feedback between the ability of cells to migrate toward favorable conditions using their chemotaxis system, and the cell-mediated chemical changes to the environment. Bacterial pattern formation has been observed and studied in many model organisms, such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Proteus mirabilis, and various Pseudomonas.
Key claims
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.