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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 17: Statistical Physics of Biological Systems I (joint session DY/BP)
BP 17.5: Vortrag
Mittwoch, 11. März 2026, 10:30–10:45, ZEU/0114
Motile response of bacterial swimmers towards competing chemical signals — •Agniva Datta1, Robert Großmann1, and Carsten Beta1,2 — 1Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Potsdam, Germany — 2Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192, Japan
Understanding how bacteria navigate in bulk fluid has gained significant interest in the field of active matter and random transport processes in the last few decades. We use the soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida as our model organism, the motility pattern of which is characterized by persistent runs, interrupted by random reorientation events (turns). In addition to this, bacteria sense chemical signals and adapt their motility pattern accordingly. Recent experiments show that bacteria can change the frequency of turns (duration of runs) depending on the concentration of nutrients as well as auto-inducer molecules that they themselves produce in the medium. This complex interplay of the dynamics of nutrients, auto-inducers and bacterial density may lead to dynamic instabilities. Combining experiments and theory, we are elucidating the dynamics of bacteria in the presence of these two competing signaling factors.
Keywords: Signaling active matter; Micro-swimmer motility; Quorum sensing; Dynamic instability; Bacteria