Protein Pattern Formation

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in understanding how protein patterns form inside cells, highlighting the physical principles and biological functions of these self-organizing processes.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of recent theoretical and experimental progress in elucidating the design principles and mechanisms behind intracellular protein pattern formation.

Findings

Identification of key physical mechanisms driving pattern formation

Insights into biochemical and geometrical regulation of patterns

Examples of protein patterns in cell division and polarization

Abstract

Protein pattern formation is essential for the spatial organization of many intracellular processes like cell division, flagellum positioning, and chemotaxis. A prominent example of intracellular patterns are the oscillatory pole-to-pole oscillations of Min proteins in \textit{E. coli} whose biological function is to ensure precise cell division. Cell polarization, a prerequisite for processes such as stem cell differentiation and cell polarity in yeast, is also mediated by a diffusion-reaction process. More generally, these functional modules of cells serve as model systems for self-organization, one of the core principles of life. Under which conditions spatio-temporal patterns emerge, and how these patterns are regulated by biochemical and geometrical factors are major aspects of current research. Here we review recent theoretical and experimental advances in the field of intracellular pattern formation, focusing on general design principles and fundamental physical mechanisms.