Protein Pattern Formation
Protein Pattern Formation
Erwin Frey, Jacob Halatek, Simon Kretschmer, Petra Schwille
book chapter to appear in Physics of Biological Membranes 2017, edited by Patricia Bassereau and Pierre Sens.
[arXiv:1801.01365] (Submitted on 4 Jan 2018 (v1), last revised 20 Feb 2018 (this version, v2))
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.
Submission history
From: Jacob Halatek [jacob.halatek@physik.lmu.de]
[v1] Thu, 4 Jan 2018 14:25:34 GMT
[v2] Tue, 20 Feb 2018 12:10:18 GMT