Modeling Concentric Growth of Myxobacterial Fruiting Bodies Based on Chemical Signaling
Department
Mathematics
Abstract
Myxobacteria are bacteria that are found in both soil and marine environments and are known to secrete secondary metabolites, which have medical applications. A deeper understanding of how myxobacteria produce secondary metabolites could lead to advances in new antibiotic development. In addition, myxobacteria are known to make outer membrane vesicles, which carry secondary metabolites. Vesicles are effective weapons against bacterial pathogens that are immune to many current antibiotic treatments. Discovering the guiding mechanisms of growth and development for myxobacteria is key for utilizing their antibiotic properties. One of their most distinct features is their ability to form fruiting bodies under starvation conditions, which are large, coordinated structures composed of thousands of cells. These fruiting bodies form myxospores, which disperse and become vegetative cells upon availability of nutrients and favorable conditions. If the conditions become unfavorable again, the vegetative cells aggregate until they form a fruiting body. Previously, it’s been demonstrated that light is one of the key environmental factors involved in fruiting body formation in myxobacteria. Constant and/or oscillatory light resulted in different formation, density, and structure of fruiting bodies. All of these variations are within the general framework of organized and distinct concentric rings. The lab results were largely qualitative. Our goal is to quantify and mathematically model this phenomenon. In order to do this we used the modeling software NetLogo to simulate myxobacterial growth. The model assumes the fruiting body growth is coordinated via chemical signals. Light and other growth factors are included as additional parameters that can be varied by the user. Using this chemical signaling model, we were able to simulate the concentric ring phenotype. Moving forward, several steps needed in order to develop a fully realized model. These steps include implementing cell death from nutrient depletion as a chemical signal, and accounting for more complex aggregation behavior.
Faculty Sponsor
Joseph Hibdon, Northeastern Illinois University
Faculty Sponsor
Dorina Bizhga, Northeastern Illinois University
Faculty Sponsor
Emina Stojkovic, Northeastern Illinois University
Modeling Concentric Growth of Myxobacterial Fruiting Bodies Based on Chemical Signaling
Myxobacteria are bacteria that are found in both soil and marine environments and are known to secrete secondary metabolites, which have medical applications. A deeper understanding of how myxobacteria produce secondary metabolites could lead to advances in new antibiotic development. In addition, myxobacteria are known to make outer membrane vesicles, which carry secondary metabolites. Vesicles are effective weapons against bacterial pathogens that are immune to many current antibiotic treatments. Discovering the guiding mechanisms of growth and development for myxobacteria is key for utilizing their antibiotic properties. One of their most distinct features is their ability to form fruiting bodies under starvation conditions, which are large, coordinated structures composed of thousands of cells. These fruiting bodies form myxospores, which disperse and become vegetative cells upon availability of nutrients and favorable conditions. If the conditions become unfavorable again, the vegetative cells aggregate until they form a fruiting body. Previously, it’s been demonstrated that light is one of the key environmental factors involved in fruiting body formation in myxobacteria. Constant and/or oscillatory light resulted in different formation, density, and structure of fruiting bodies. All of these variations are within the general framework of organized and distinct concentric rings. The lab results were largely qualitative. Our goal is to quantify and mathematically model this phenomenon. In order to do this we used the modeling software NetLogo to simulate myxobacterial growth. The model assumes the fruiting body growth is coordinated via chemical signals. Light and other growth factors are included as additional parameters that can be varied by the user. Using this chemical signaling model, we were able to simulate the concentric ring phenotype. Moving forward, several steps needed in order to develop a fully realized model. These steps include implementing cell death from nutrient depletion as a chemical signal, and accounting for more complex aggregation behavior.