Modeling the chemosensing system of E. coli Ned S. Wingreen, Professor, Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University

The chemotaxis system of bacteria is remarkable for its sensitivity to multiple chemical signals, over a wide range of concentrations. These properties rely on cooperativity among receptors and on an adaptation system in which chemoreceptors are modified by methylation/demethylation. I'll discuss recent in vivo fluorescence experiments that reveal how receptors cooperate in clusters and adapt as neighborhoods to achieve high sensitivity.

"Model for E. coli chemotaxis signaling and adaptation," Hansen, Endres, and Wingreen, PLoS Computational Biology 4 (2008).