What do amoebae look before they leap?— an efficient mechanism before sporulation in the true slime mold Physarum polycephalum —

Abstract

In this study, we investigate a moving behavior of the network which is observed before an amoeba turns into ‘fruiting bodies’, namely it sporulates. More specifically, we observe how Physarum polycephalum behaves after a severe environmental change; exposure to certain strong light. Through systematic, controlled experiments (in constant dark condition, 26°C) we obtained four evidences, suggesting an efficient mechanism of the network's moving by which Physarum polycephalum makes the sporulation more effective, which is considered to be important for its survival. Our finding adds a new knowledge to the biological aspect of network science.