Citation
Response Rescaling in Bacterial Chemotaxis
TL;DR
E. coli responds to relative (percentage) changes, not absolute concentrations
This paper documents logarithmic sensing in E. coli - cells respond to relative (percentage) changes in concentration rather than absolute levels. This adaptation mechanism explains how bacteria can navigate gradients across orders of magnitude by resetting sensitivity to detect further changes.
The business implication is profound: effective sensing systems should detect rate of change, not just current state. Leading indicators matter more than lagging ones precisely because they capture change.
Key Findings from Lazova & al. (2011)
- E. coli responds to relative (percentage) changes, not absolute concentrations
- Logarithmic sensing enables navigation across orders of magnitude
- Adaptation mechanism resets sensitivity to detect further changes
- System responds to change, not steady state