Dynamical quorum sensing: Population density encoded in cellular dynamics

Mutual synchronization by exchange of chemicals is a mechanism for the emergence of collective dynamics in cellular populations. General theories exist on the transition to coherence, but no quantitative, experimental demonstration has been given. Here, we present a modeling and experimental analysis of cell-density-dependent glycolytic oscillations in yeast. We studythe disappearance of oscillations at low cell density and show that this phenomenon occurs synchronously in all cells and not by clesynchronization, as previously expected. This study identifies a general scenario for the emergence of collective cellular oscillations and suggests a quorum-sensing mechanism by which the cell density information is encoded in the intracellular dynamical state.