Prindle, Arthur, Liu, Jintao, Asally, Munehiro, Ly, San, Garcia-Ojalvo, Jordi and Süel, Gürol M. (2015) Ion channels enable electrical communication in bacterial communities. Nature, 527 . pp. 59-63. doi:10.1038/nature15709 ISSN 0028-0836.

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Abstract

The study of bacterial ion channels has provided fundamental insights into the structural basis of neuronal signalling; however, the native role of ion channels in bacteria has remained elusive. Here we show that ion channels conduct long-range electrical signals within bacterial biofilm communities through spatially propagating waves of potassium. These waves result from a positive feedback loop, in which a metabolic trigger induces release of intracellular potassium, which in turn depolarizes neighbouring cells. Propagating through the biofilm, this wave of depolarization coordinates metabolic states among cells in the interior and periphery of the biofilm. Deletion of the potassium channel abolishes this response. As predicted by a mathematical model, we further show that spatial propagation can be hindered by specific genetic perturbations to potassium channel gating. Together, these results demonstrate a function for ion channels in bacterial biofilms, and provide a prokaryotic paradigm for active, long-range electrical signalling in cellular communities.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QR Microbiology
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Life Sciences (2010- )
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Ion channels
Journal or Publication Title:	Nature
Publisher:	Nature Publishing
ISSN:	0028-0836
Official Date:	5 November 2015
Dates:	Date Event 5 November 2015 Published 21 October 2015 Available 10 September 2015 Accepted 16 June 2015 Submitted
Volume:	527
Page Range:	pp. 59-63
DOI:	10.1038/nature15709
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Date of first compliant deposit:	31 December 2015
Date of first compliant Open Access:	30 May 2016
Funder:	Spain. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad [Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness] (MINECO), Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats‏ (ICREA), National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH), National Institute of General Medical Sciences (U.S.) (NIGMS), University of California, San Diego. Center for Systems Biology
Grant number:	FIS2012-37655-C02-01 (MINECO), MCB-1450867 (NIH), 50867 (NIGMS), P50 GM085764 (NIH)

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