Mechanochemical Morphodynamics of Active Bacterial Cells

TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical framework for understanding bacterial cell shape dynamics by modeling the interplay of mechanical and chemical energies involved in cell wall expansion, predicting size stability and shape regulation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel minimal energy dissipation model for bacterial cell wall morphodynamics, linking mechanical forces and chemical energy changes.

Findings

Model accurately predicts bacterial size stability.

Linear stability analysis matches phase diagram.

Framework highlights importance of mechanochemical energy balance.

Abstract

Bacterial cells exhibit a diverse array of shapes and sizes, largely governed by their cell walls in conjunction with cytoskeletal proteins and internal turgor pressure. The present study develops a theoretical framework for modeling the shape dynamics of actively expanding bacterial cell walls, grounded in the concept of minimal energy dissipation. In the context of a bacterial cell wall, dissipative forces are generated through the insertion of peptidoglycan (PG) strands, while driving forces stem from alterations in mechanochemical energy, crucial for sustaining the cell wall's shape. The interplay between mechanical and chemical energies facilitates in evaluating the free energy landscape and helps in predicting the homeostasis of the bacterial cell size. The size limit derived through linear stability analysis (LSA) of a model system accurately mirrors the phase diagram produced by the theoretical model. Nonetheless, given the cell wall's intricate molecular architecture, a more detailed constitutive model is expected to provide more precise quantitative insights.