Dynamical quorum sensing: Population density encoded in cellular dynamics.
Mutual synchronization by exchange of chemicals is a mechanism for the emergence of collective dynamics in cellular populations. General theories exist on the transition to coherence, but no quantitative, experimental demonstration has been given. Here, we present a modeling and experimental analysis of cell-density-dependent glycolytic oscillations in yeast. We study the disappearance of oscillations at low cell density and show that this phenomenon occurs synchronously in all cells and not by desynchronization, as previously expected. This study identifies a general scenario for the emergence of collective cellular oscillations and suggests a quorum-sensing mechanism by which the cell density information is encoded in the intracellular dynamical state.
De Monte
Silvia
S
Unité Mixte de Recherche 7625, Université Pierre et Marie Curie and Ecole Normale Supérieure, F-75005 Paris, France. demonte@biologie.ens.fr
d'Ovidio
Francesco
F
Danø
Sune
S
Sørensen
Preben Graae
PG
D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006019:Glycolysis; D008954:Models, Biological; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism