H. Berg, and E. Purcell. Biophys. J., 20 (2):
193--219(November 1977)
Abstract
Statistical fluctuations limit the precision with which a microorganism
can, in a given time T, determine the concentration of a chemoattractant
in the surrounding medium. The best a cell can do is to monitor continually
the state of occupation of receptors distributed over its surface.
For nearly optimum performance only a small fraction of the surface
need be specifically adsorbing. The probability that a molecule that
has collided with the cell will find a receptor is Ns/(Ns + pi a),
if N receptors, each with a binding site of radius s, are evenly
distributed over a cell of radius a. There is ample room for many
indenpendent systems of specific receptors. The adsorption rate for
molecules of moderate size cannot be significantly enhanced by motion
of the cell or by stirring of the medium by the cell. The least fractional
error attainable in the determination of a concentration c is approximately
(TcaD) - 1/2, where D is diffusion constant of the attractant. The
number of specific receptors needed to attain such precision is about
a/s. Data on bacteriophage absorption, bacterial chemotaxis, and
chemotaxis in a cellular slime mold are evaluated. The chemotactic
sensitivity of Escherichia coli approaches that of the cell of optimum
design.
%0 Journal Article
%1 Berg_1977_193
%A Berg, H. C.
%A Purcell, E. M.
%D 1977
%J Biophys. J.
%K 911982 Bacterial Bacteriophages, Biological, Cell Chemotaxis, Diffusion, Drug, Gov't, Kinetics, Mathematics, Models, Movement, Non-P.H.S., Physiology, Receptors, Research Support, U.S.
%N 2
%P 193--219
%T Physics of chemoreception.
%V 20
%X Statistical fluctuations limit the precision with which a microorganism
can, in a given time T, determine the concentration of a chemoattractant
in the surrounding medium. The best a cell can do is to monitor continually
the state of occupation of receptors distributed over its surface.
For nearly optimum performance only a small fraction of the surface
need be specifically adsorbing. The probability that a molecule that
has collided with the cell will find a receptor is Ns/(Ns + pi a),
if N receptors, each with a binding site of radius s, are evenly
distributed over a cell of radius a. There is ample room for many
indenpendent systems of specific receptors. The adsorption rate for
molecules of moderate size cannot be significantly enhanced by motion
of the cell or by stirring of the medium by the cell. The least fractional
error attainable in the determination of a concentration c is approximately
(TcaD) - 1/2, where D is diffusion constant of the attractant. The
number of specific receptors needed to attain such precision is about
a/s. Data on bacteriophage absorption, bacterial chemotaxis, and
chemotaxis in a cellular slime mold are evaluated. The chemotactic
sensitivity of Escherichia coli approaches that of the cell of optimum
design.
@article{Berg_1977_193,
abstract = {Statistical fluctuations limit the precision with which a microorganism
can, in a given time T, determine the concentration of a chemoattractant
in the surrounding medium. The best a cell can do is to monitor continually
the state of occupation of receptors distributed over its surface.
For nearly optimum performance only a small fraction of the surface
need be specifically adsorbing. The probability that a molecule that
has collided with the cell will find a receptor is Ns/(Ns + pi a),
if N receptors, each with a binding site of radius s, are evenly
distributed over a cell of radius a. There is ample room for many
indenpendent systems of specific receptors. The adsorption rate for
molecules of moderate size cannot be significantly enhanced by motion
of the cell or by stirring of the medium by the cell. The least fractional
error attainable in the determination of a concentration c is approximately
(TcaD) - 1/2, where D is diffusion constant of the attractant. The
number of specific receptors needed to attain such precision is about
a/s. Data on bacteriophage absorption, bacterial chemotaxis, and
chemotaxis in a cellular slime mold are evaluated. The chemotactic
sensitivity of Escherichia coli approaches that of the cell of optimum
design.},
added-at = {2009-06-03T11:20:58.000+0200},
author = {Berg, H. C. and Purcell, E. M.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/20e9fa9c79d460dced643a7d58cf80835/hake},
description = {The whole bibliography file I use.},
interhash = {23e9cb34edf921655b645b8622c8926c},
intrahash = {0e9fa9c79d460dced643a7d58cf80835},
journal = {Biophys. J.},
key = 247,
keywords = {911982 Bacterial Bacteriophages, Biological, Cell Chemotaxis, Diffusion, Drug, Gov't, Kinetics, Mathematics, Models, Movement, Non-P.H.S., Physiology, Receptors, Research Support, U.S.},
month = Nov,
number = 2,
pages = {193--219},
pmid = {911982},
timestamp = {2009-06-03T11:21:02.000+0200},
title = {Physics of chemoreception.},
volume = 20,
year = 1977
}