Abstract
If the DNA-coded genome is the blueprint for life, then pattern-forming systems in series of developmental stages are the collection of construction maps to instruct, orchestrate and control every structural components in an organism to migrate, localize and function as what they should be. The dissertation presented here is intended to investigate how biological patterning realizes cell morphology control and how cell morphology feedbacks to biological patterning. In developing tissues, the shape and size (morphology) in every developmental stage also determines next-stage pattern formation, even though the morphology of cells and tissues are determined from preceding-stage patterns. Herein, single-cell organisms such as bacterium Escherichia coli was chosen for its simplicity in cellular organization to investigate the interconnections between patterning dynamics and morphology control. Single-cell and single-molecule approaches were adopted to investigate biophysical principles that transform designs in the blueprint into executable machineries in the physical and chemical contexts. Reaction-Diffusion mechanism and chemical wave phenomenon are the very essence to drive biomolecules self-organization and patterning in mesoscopic world. As following the research paths toward scientific merits, the dissertation are organized to present three movements: (1) Patterning Dynamics; (2) Patterning Dynamics and Cell Morphology; and (3) Cell Morphology Control. Min-protein patterning system in E. coli is the kernel subject to bridge different research topics among these movements. The scientific language spoken in the dissertation is multi-dialectal in different disciplines such as to interpret new and key concepts in the field. These research efforts are concluded in author’s perspectives on the frontier of bacterial biophysics.