The water clock of Proteus mirabilis paces colony periodic and synchronous swarming

For decades, the origin of the concentric ring pattern of bacterial swarming colonies has puzzled microbiologists. Thanks to _in situ_ and real time infrared microspectroscopy and the brilliance of the infrared beam at SOLEIL synchrotron, we demonstrate here that _Proteus mirabilis_ swarming is paced by a periodic variation of the water activity at colony's edge. This periodic variation originates a phase transition within the extracellular matrix water H bond network which switches on and off the exopolysaccharides viscoelasticity and, consequently, the ability of bacterial cells to swarm. A dynamic behaviour emerges from the global properties of the multicellular entity which here relies on the ability of the bacterial cells to tune exoproducts synthesis in order to undergo sharp transitions above/below a given water activity threshold

Does water activity rule P. mirabilis periodic swarming? II. Viscoelasticity and water balance during swarming

International audienc

Does water activity rule P. mirabilis periodic swarming? II. Viscoelasticity and water balance during swarming

International audienc

A multi-scale approach of the mechanisms underlying exopolysaccharide auto-organization in the Proteus mirabilis extracellular matrix

International audienceFor decades, the origin of the concentric ring pattern of bacterial swarming colonies has puzzled microbiologists. It was hypothesized that a periodic water activity variation originates a phase transition within the extracellular matrix water H bond network, which switches on and off the exopolysaccharide auto-organization. Both rheological and infrared spectroscopy measurements respectively performed at a molecular scale and on a currently migrating colony, have given a physical insight into the mechanisms which underlie the switch between swarming and consolidation phases. Thanks to in situ and real time infrared microspectroscopy, and thanks to the brilliance of the infrared beam at SOLEIL synchrotron, here we demonstrate that Proteus mirabilis swarming is triggered by a periodic variation of water activity at the colony edge. A dynamic behavior emerges from the global properties of the multicellular entity which relies on the ability of the bacterial cells to tune exoproduct synthesis in order to undergo sharp transitions at a given water activity threshold