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Oscillators are physical systems whose evolution over time varies repeatedly around a central state of equilibrium. Oscillating cycles that are more or less periodic are found in all sectors of science, from quantum physics to cell biology, sociology or cosmology.
Oscillations are a recurrent phenomenon in biological systems across scales, but deciphering their fundamental principles is very challenging. Here the authors construct a synthetic oscillator in bacteria that can be controlled by light and show that different light conditions can generate complex dynamics that are transformed into distinct spatial ring patterns in bacterial colonies.
The factors that determine the direction of traveling waves in the brain are not well understood. Here, the authors show that the sum of incoming structural connection strengths shape both traveling wave direction and frequency gradients.
Many clock proteins contain intrinsically disordered regions, but how these regions mediate protein interactions is poorly understood. Here, the authors identify charge blocks within a disordered clock protein that regulate circadian timing.