Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 109, Issue 46, Pages 18891-18896Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1212429109
Keywords
pattern formation; self-assembly; systems dynamics
Categories
Funding
- National Science Foundation [DMR-0907291, CMMI-1031829, 1132174]
- National Institutes of Health [1 R01 EB013212, 1 R01 DC011585]
- Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [FIS2009-13360]
- Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats Academia Programme
- National Institutes of Health National Institute of General Medical Sciences [R01 GM088428]
- McDonnell Foundation [220020141]
- Div Of Civil, Mechanical, & Manufact Inn
- Directorate For Engineering [1031829, 1132174] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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From microbial biofilm communities to multicellular organisms, 3D macroscopic structures develop through poorly understood interplay between cellular processes and mechanical forces. Investigating wrinkled biofilms of Bacillus subtilis, we discovered a pattern of localized cell death that spatially focuses mechanical forces, and thereby initiates wrinkle formation. Deletion of genes implicated in biofilm development, together with mathematical modeling, revealed that ECM production underlies the localization of cell death. Simultaneously with cell death, we quantitatively measured mechanical stiffness and movement in WT and mutant biofilms. Results suggest that localized cell death provides an outlet for lateral compressive forces, thereby promoting vertical mechanical buckling, which subsequently leads to wrinkle formation. Guided by these findings, we were able to generate artificial wrinkle patterns within biofilms. Formation of 3D structures facilitated by cell death may underlie self-organization in other developmental systems, and could enable engineering of macroscopic structures from cell populations.
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