Feedback between motion and sensation provides nonlinear boost in run-and-tumble navigation.

ABSTRACT: Many organisms navigate gradients by alternating straight motions (runs) with random reorientations (tumbles), transiently suppressing tumbles whenever attractant signal increases. This induces a functional coupling between movement and sensation, since tumbling probability is controlled by the internal state of the organism which, in turn, depends on previous signal levels. Although a negative feedback tends to maintain this internal state close to adapted levels, positive feedback can arise when motion up the gradient reduces tumbling probability, further boosting drift up the gradient. Importantly, such positive feedback can drive large fluctuations in the internal state, complicating analytical approaches. Previous studies focused on what happens when the negative feedback dominates th

SUBMITTER: Long J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5358899 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature