Molecular network design toward group-level decision making of cell populations

• Project/Area Number: 23700350
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Bioinformatics/Life informatics
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: FUJIMOTO Koichi 大阪大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60334306)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2011: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: モデル化 / 自己組織化 / 細胞 / 集団現象 / システム生物学 / 微生物 / 数理モデル / ネットワーク / クオラムセンシング / 集団的意思決定 / 細胞間コミュニケーション / 合成生物学 / 細胞集団 / 国際情報交換 / 遺伝子ネットワーク / 振動 / フィードバック

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although the genetic circuits underlying state switching at the single-cell level are well understood, how such circuits work in concert among many cells to support the population-level switching of cellular behaviors is not fully explored. Experiments using microbial signaling systems show that group-level changes in cellular state occur in either a graded or an all-or-none fashion. We show that the type of group-level decision making used by populations is uniquely determined by a single dimensionless parameter that compares the quorum-signaling molecules accumulated within the cells with those secreted by the population. The role of the parameter is universal such that it not only applies to the autoinducing circuits but also to the more complex gene circuits involved in transmembrane receptor signaling and negative feedback. The design principle that we describe thus serves as the basis for the analysis and control of collective cellular decision making in general.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] A Design Principle of Group-level Decision Making in Cell Populations (2013)
  • Author(s): Koichi Fujimoto, Satoshi Sawai
  • Journal Title: PLoS Comp. Biol. Volume: 9 (6) Issue: 6 Pages: e1003110-e1003110
  • DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003110
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Robustness of Self-Organizing Chemoattractant Field Arising from Precise Pulse Induction of Its Breakdown Enzyme: A Single-Cell Level Analysis of PDE Expression in Dictyostelium. (2013)
  • Author(s): N. Masaki, K. Fujimoto, M.Honda-Kitahara, E. Hada and S. Sawai
  • Journal Title: Biophys. J. Volume: 104 Issue: 5 Pages: 1191-1202
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2013.01.023
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] The collective oscillations in developing cells: Insights from simple systems. (2011)
  • Author(s): K. Kamino, K. Fujimoto and S. Sawai
  • Journal Title: Dev. Growth Diff. Volume: 53 Issue: 4 Pages: 503-517
  • DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-169x.2011.01266.x
  • NAID: 10028273979
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Differential cell proliferation rate regulates epithelial tissue homeostasis during cell competition (2014)
  • Author(s): 坪井有寿、藤本仰一
  • Organizer: 第３７回日本分子生物学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: パシフィコ横浜、神奈川県横浜市
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-27
• [Presentation] Dynamics of Multi-cellular Living Matter (2014)
  • Author(s): Koichi Fujimoto
  • Organizer: Kavli IPMU & RIKEN iTHES & Osaka TSRP Symposium. Frontiers of Theoretical Science; MATTER, LIFE and COSMOS
  • Place of Presentation: 東京大学、千葉県柏市
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-06
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Mechanical communications in cell societies 細胞の押し合いへし合いから探る 細胞社会の恒常性維持 (2014)
  • Author(s): 藤本仰一、坪井有寿、大澤志津江、井垣達吏
  • Organizer: モデル生物丸ごと一匹学会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪大学、大阪府豊中市
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-17
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Mechanical properties that regulate differential cell division rate during cell competition (2014)
  • Author(s): Arisu Tsuboi, Shizue Ohsawa, Tatsushi Igaki and Koichi Fujimoto
  • Organizer: Workshop on Mechanics and Growth of Tissues: From Development to Cancer
  • Place of Presentation: Paris, France
• [Presentation] 細胞競合の数理モデル (2013)
  • Author(s): 藤本仰一
  • Organizer: 第３６回日本分子生物学会年会 ワークショップ
  • Place of Presentation: 神戸市
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 細胞の集団的な意思決定の設計原理 (2013)
  • Author(s): 藤本仰一
  • Organizer: 定量生物学の会 第６回年会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪大
  • Invited
• [Presentation] A design principle of group-level decision making in cell populations. (2013)
  • Author(s): Koichi Fujimoto
  • Organizer: 2013 International Symposium on Nonlinear Theory and its Applications (NOLTA2013)
  • Place of Presentation: Santa Fe, USA
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 細胞社会の集団的な意思決定のデザイン (2013)
  • Author(s): 藤本仰一
  • Organizer: 生物リズム若手研究者の集い2013
  • Place of Presentation: 山梨県河口湖
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 細胞の集団的な応答の設計原理 1－双安定系 (2013)
  • Author(s): 藤本仰一
  • Organizer: 日本物理学会 秋季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 徳島大
• [Presentation] 細胞の集団的な応答の設計原理 2 興奮振動系 (2013)
  • Author(s): 藤本仰一
  • Organizer: 日本物理学会 秋季大会
  • Place of Presentation: 徳島大
• [Presentation] Design principle of group-level decision making in cell populations. (2013)
  • Author(s): Koichi Fujimoto
  • Organizer: The 1st annual winter Q-bio coneference
  • Place of Presentation: Hawaii, USA
• [Presentation] Synchronized Onset of Quorum Sensing Transition (2012)
  • Author(s): Koichi Fujimoto
  • Organizer: Joint Meeting of The 45th Annual Meeting of JSDB and The 64th Annual Meeting of JSCB.
  • Place of Presentation: 神戸
• [Presentation] Tuning collectivity in cell fate decision. (2012)
  • Author(s): Koichi Fujimoto
  • Organizer: The 13th International Conference of Systems Biology
  • Place of Presentation: Tronto, Canada
• [Presentation] 細胞集団の応答を鋭敏にする細胞間相互作用の特徴 (2012)
  • Author(s): 藤本仰一
  • Organizer: 日本物理学会 第６７回年次大会
  • Place of Presentation: 関西学院大学
• [Presentation] cAMP振動を閾値的に開始し恒常的に維持する仕組み (2011)
  • Author(s): 藤本仰一、澤井哲
  • Organizer: 第1回日本細胞性粘菌学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: 大阪大学
• [Book] Emergence of Chemical Complexity. (2013)
  • Author(s): Koichi Fujimoto, Satoshi Sawai
  • Publisher: World Scientific