Phototaxis

We identified key molecular players in phototaxis which indicated that the behavior of phototactic cells is complex and that light (and possibly other signals) are received by photoreceptors. Based on our identification of novel mutants and their phenotypes, and in collaboration with colleagues we have developed theoretical and testable models of social behavior and phototaxis in cyanobacteria [28270586,25863054]. We have several testable hypotheses regarding how multiple inputs are coordinated by the cell and I would like to continue this work, using biochemistry and genetic approaches with model systems and with hot spring communities. Type IV pili that are used for motility are multifunctional and also play a vital role in biofilm formation and chemotaxis in symbiotic systems, which can yield new insights. Furthermore, it will be important to understand the function of motility in the context of the mat, especially with respect to phototaxis, chemotaxis, geotaxis and anoxia.

Select Publications

Menon, S. N., Varuni, P., Bunbury, F., Bhaya, D., & Menon, G. I. (2021). Phototaxis in Cyanobacteria: From Mutants to Models of Collective Behavior. Mbio, 12(6). https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.02398-21

PanikkasserySu, R., Chau, R., Ursell, T., Bhaya, D., Huang, K., & Gopinathan, A. (2021). A minimal one-dimensional model of pattern formation in bacterial community phototaxis. Bulletin of the American Physical Society, 66(1).

Yu, F. B., Willis, L., Chau, R. M. W., Zambon, A., Horowitz, M., Bhaya, D., ... & Quake, S. R. (2017). Long-term microfluidic tracking of coccoid cyanobacterial cells reveals robust control of division timing. BMC biology, 15(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-016-0344-4

Chau, R. M. W., Bhaya, D., & Huang, K. C. (2017). Emergent phototactic responses of cyanobacteria under complex light regimes. MBio, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.02330-16

Chandra, A., Joubert, L. M., & Bhaya, D. (2017). Modulation of Type IV pili phenotypic plasticity through a novel Chaperone-Usher system in Synechocystis sp. BioRxiv, 130278. https://doi.org/10.1101/130278

Bhaya, D. (2016). In the limelight: Photoreceptors in cyanobacteria. Mbio, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00741-16

Chau, R. M. W., Ursell, T., Wang, S., Huang, K. C., & Bhaya, D. (2015). Maintenance of motility bias during cyanobacterial phototaxis. Biophysical journal, 108(7), 1623-1632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2015.01.042

Chau, R. M. W., Bhaya, D., & Huang, K. (2014). Motility Enhancement through Surface Modification is Sufficient for Emergent Behaviors During Phototaxis. Biophysical Journal, 106(2), 578a. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003205

Ursell, T., Chau, R. M. W., Wisen, S., Bhaya, D., & Huang, K. C. (2013). Motility enhancement through surface modification is sufficient for cyanobacterial community organization during phototaxis. PLoS computational biology, 9(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003205

Brahamsha, B., & Bhaya, D. (2013). Motility in unicellular and filamentous Cyanobacteria. Cell Biology of Cyanobacteria.

Galante, A., Wisen, S., Bhaya, D., & Levy, D. (2012). Modeling local interactions during the motion of cyanobacteria. Journal of theoretical biology, 309, 147-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2012.06.013

Chandra, A., Bhaya, D., & Huang, K. C. (2012, January). Elucidating phototaxis mechanism to engineer coordinated communities of cyanobacteria. In MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL (Vol. 23). 8120 WOODMONT AVE, STE 750, BETHESDA, MD 20814-2755 USA: AMER SOC CELL BIOLOGY.

Galante, A., Wisen, S., Bhaya, D., & Levy, D. (2011). Stochastic models and simulations of phototaxis. Unifying Themes in Complex Systems, 8, 105-119.

Wisén, S., Levy, D., & Bhaya, D. (2010). Dissecting Phototaxis in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC6803: 249. Protein Science, 19.

Kilian, O., Steunou, A. S., Fazeli, F., Bailey, S., Bhaya, D., & Grossman, A. R. (2007). Responses of a thermophilic Synechococcus isolate from the microbial mat of Octopus Spring to light. Applied and environmental microbiology, 73(13), 4268-4278. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00201-07

Kappell, A. D., Bhaya, D., & van Waasbergen, L. G. (2006). Negative control of the high light-inducible hliA gene and implications for the activities of the NblS sensor kinase in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus strain PCC 7942. Archives of microbiology, 186(5), 403-413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-006-0154-0

Bhaya, D., Nakasugi, K., Fazeli, F., & Burriesci, M. S. (2006). Phototaxis and impaired motility in adenylyl cyclase and cyclase receptor protein mutants of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. Journal of bacteriology, 188(20), 7306-7310. https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00573-06

Bhaya, D. (2004). Light matters: Phototaxis and signal transduction in unicellular cyanobacteria. Molecular Microbiology, 53(3), 745–754. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04160.x

Ng, W. O., Grossman, A. R., & Bhaya, D. (2003). Multiple light inputs control phototaxis in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803. Journal of Bacteriology, 185(5), 1599-1607. https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.185.5.1599-1607.2003

Bhaya, D., Takahashi, A., & Grossman, A. R. (2001). Light regulation of type IV pilus-dependent motility by chemosensor-like elements in Synechocystis PCC6803. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 98(13), 7540–7545. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.131201098

Grossman, A. R., Bhaya, D., & He, Q. (2001). Tracking the light environment by cyanobacteria and the dynamic nature of light harvesting. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 276(15), 11449–11452. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.r100003200

Bhaya, D., Bianco, N. R., Bryant, D., & Grossman, A. (2000). Type IV pilus biogenesis and motility in the cyanobacterium synechocystis sp. PCC6803. Molecular Microbiology, 37(4), 941–951. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2958.2000.02068.x

Grossman, A. R., Bhaya, D., Apt, K. E., & Kehoe, D. M. (1995). Light-harvesting complexes in oxygenic photosynthesis: Diversity, control, and evolution. Annual Review of Genetics, 29(1), 231–288. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ge.29.120195.001311

Apt, K. E., Bhaya, D., & Grossman, A. R. (1994). Characterization of genes encoding the light-harvesting proteins in diatoms: biogenesis of the fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c protein complex. Journal of Applied Phycology, 6(2), 225-230. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02186075

Phototaxis

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Devaki Bhaya Lab