EVENT DETAILS AND ABSTRACT

Title: Signal transduction and behavioral response in E. Coli: a model system for understanding macroscopic patterns from microscopic rules
Speaker: Hans G. Othmer
Speaker Info: University of Minnesota
Brief Description:
Special Note: More current information may be available at Plan-it Purple
Abstract:

Chemotaxis in the bacterium E. coli is widely-studied because of its accessibility and because it incorporates processes that are important in the response of numerous sensory systems to stimuli: signal detection and transduction, excitation, adaptation, and a change in behavior. Quantitative data on the change in behavior is available for this system, and the major biochemical steps in the signal transduction/processing pathway have been identified. In this talk we will discuss a mathematical model of single cells that can reproduce many of the major features of signal transduction, adaptation and aggregation, and which incorporates the interaction of the chemotactic protein CheYp with the flagellar motor. We shall show the results of Monte Carlo simulations of population behavior and discuss the problem of how to obtain macroscopic equations that incorporate essential features of the microscopic model.