Physics of Intracellular Organization in Bacteria

Ned S. Wingreen, Kerwyn Casey Huang

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

With the realization that bacteria achieve exquisite levels of spatiotemporal organization has come the challenge of discovering the underlying mechanisms. In this review, we describe three classes of such mechanisms, each of which has physical origins: the use of landmarks, the creation of higher-order structures that enable geometric sensing, and the emergence of length scales from systems of chemical reactions coupled to diffusion. We then examine the diversity of geometric cues that exist even in cells with relatively simple geometries, and end by discussing both new technologies that could drive further discovery and the implications of our current knowledge for the behavior, fitness, and evolution of bacteria. The organizational strategies described here are employed in a wide variety of systems and in species across all kingdoms of life; in many ways they provide a general blueprint for organizing the building blocks of life.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)361-379
Number of pages19
JournalAnnual Review of Microbiology
Volume69
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 15 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Microbiology

Keywords

  • Curvature-mediated localization
  • Emergent length scales
  • Geometric cues
  • Gradient formation
  • Landmarks
  • Reaction-diffusion systems

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