Ben-Jacob Eshel
School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel-Aviv University, 69978 Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci. 2003 Jun 15;361(1807):1283-312. doi: 10.1098/rsta.2003.1199.
During colonial development, bacteria generate a wealth of patterns, some of which are reminiscent of those occurring in abiotic systems. They can exhibit rich behaviour, reflecting informative communication capabilities that include exchange of genetic materials and the fact that the colony's building blocks are biotic. Each has internal degrees of freedom, informatic capabilities and freedom to respond by altering itself and others via emission of signals in a self-regulated manner. To unravel the special secrets of bacterial self-organization, we conducted an integrative (experimental and theoretical) study of abiotic and biotic systems. Guided by the notion of general biotic motives and principles, I propose that the informative communication between individuals makes possible the enhancement of the individuals' regulated freedom, while increasing their cooperation. This process is accomplished via cooperative complexification of the colony through self-organization of hierarchical spatio-temporal patterning. The colonial higher complexity provides the degree of plasticity and flexibility required for better colonial adaptability and endurability in a dynamic environment. The biotic system can modify the environment and obtain environmental information for further self-improvement. I reflect on the potential applications of the new understanding on 'engineered self-organization of systems too complex to design' and other issues.
在群体发展过程中，细菌会形成多种多样的模式，其中一些让人联想到非生物系统中出现的模式。它们能展现出丰富的行为，这反映了其具有信息交流能力，包括遗传物质的交换，以及群体的组成部分是生物这一事实。每个细菌都有内部自由度、信息能力，并且能够通过以自我调节的方式发出信号来改变自身和其他细菌，从而做出反应。为了揭开细菌自我组织的特殊奥秘，我们对非生物和生物系统进行了一项综合（实验和理论）研究。在一般生物动机和原则概念的指导下，我提出个体之间的信息交流使得个体调节自由度的增强成为可能，同时也增进了它们之间的合作。这个过程是通过群体的合作复杂化来实现的，即通过层次时空模式的自组织。群体更高的复杂性为在动态环境中实现更好的群体适应性和耐久性提供了所需的可塑性和灵活性程度。生物系统可以改变环境并获取环境信息以进一步自我完善。我思考了关于“对过于复杂而难以设计的系统进行工程化自组织”的新理解的潜在应用以及其他问题。
