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Size-dependent self-avoidance enables superdiffusive migration in macroscopic unicellulars.

Lucas Tröger1, Florian Goirand1, Karen Alim1

  • 1Technical University of Munich, School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Center for Protein Assemblies, Garching 85748, Germany.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|March 22, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The slime mold Physarum polycephalum exhibits superdiffusive migration through self-avoiding movements. Cell size, not food presence, drives long-term superdiffusion, suggesting an evolutionary advantage for its large size.

Keywords:
behaviormigrationmulticellularityplasmodial slime mold

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Area of Science:

  • Cellular biology
  • Biophysics
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Cells employ diverse strategies to locate resources like food and mates.
  • The slime mold Physarum polycephalum forms a unique, large, network-shaped plasmodium during foraging.
  • The evolutionary advantage of this giant cell structure remains an open question.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally investigate and quantify the migration behavior of Physarum polycephalum plasmodia.
  • To understand the role of cell size and food availability in migration dynamics.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms behind the slime mold's foraging strategy.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental observation of Physarum polycephalum plasmodia migration over days.
  • Development of a data-driven model with ten parameters to describe migration.
  • Analysis of migration patterns in the presence and absence of food.
  • Varying organism size to assess its impact on migration.

Main Results:

  • Physarum polycephalum exhibits superdiffusive migration via self-avoiding run-and-tumble movement.
  • Food presence alters run duration statistics, affecting short-term dynamics.
  • Long-term superdiffusion is primarily determined by cell size-dependent self-avoidance, independent of food.

Conclusions:

  • The slime mold's superdiffusive migration is a robust strategy driven by self-avoidance.
  • Cell size is a critical factor for long-term efficient foraging in Physarum polycephalum.
  • The large, macroscopic size of the slime mold offers a significant evolutionary advantage in resource acquisition.