Intrinsic timekeeping in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli biofilms show intrinsic 24-hour timekeeping that anticipates daily temperature cycles, with curli plaque formation rhythms persisting under constant temperature.

• Why it matters: Daily temperature changes are predictable, yet how bacteria generate self-sustained timing to anticipate them is unclear.
• What they did: Biofilms were entrained with daily temperature shifts, then monitored for 24-hour curli plaque rhythms under constant temperature; genetic analyses implicated the Rcs phosphorelay, with BluFR linking temperature and blue-light cycles.
• The result: Curli production formed 24-hour rhythms after entrainment, and flagellar promoter activity peaked at opposite times of day, suggesting coordinated adhesion–motility timing.

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