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Bacterial colonies as complex adaptive systems

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Abstract

The present work explores bacterial colonies and their individual and social behaviours under the lens of complex adaptive systems. We initially provide a background on the biology of bacteria to describe important phenomena, such as quorum-sensing, individual and collective behaviours, adaptation, evolution and self-organization over the influence of mechanical effects on bacterial systems and connecting scales. We then explore some associations between bacterial colonies and complex adaptive systems by considering components and ownerships of self-organization. The main contribution of this paper places emphasis on individual decision-making and behaviour as a cause of bacterial colonies’ actions, i.e., how self-organization and collective behaviours impact the ability of a bacterial colony to address an environmental stimulus and maintain itself as an open biological and fault-tolerant system. Finally, we conclude the work and provide some comments regarding future research.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Adapted from Ng and Bassler (2009)

Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Adapted from Clark (1967)

Fig. 5

Adapted from Niu et al. (2010a, b)

Fig. 6

Adapted from Reid et al. (2015)

Fig. 7

Adapted from Reid et al. (2015)

Fig. 8

Adapted from Ryan et al. (2004)

Fig. 9

Adapted from Popat et al. (2015)

Fig. 10

Adapted from Persat et al. (2015)

Fig. 11

Adapted from Persat et al. (2015)

Fig. 12

Adapted from Chen et al. (2010)

Fig. 13

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Capes, CNPq, Fapesp, and MackPesquisa for their financial support. The authors also acknowledge the support of Intel for the Natural Computing and Machine Learning Laboratory as an Intel Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil

    Danilo Cunha & Leandro Nunes de Castro

  2. Natural Computing and Machine Learning Laboratory (LCoN), São Paulo, Brazil

    Danilo Cunha, Rafael Xavier & Leandro Nunes de Castro

  3. Anhembi Morumbi University, São Paulo, Brazil

    Rafael Xavier

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Correspondence to Danilo Cunha.

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Cunha, D., Xavier, R. & de Castro, L.N. Bacterial colonies as complex adaptive systems. Nat Comput 17, 781–798 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11047-018-9689-7

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