Establishing Symbiosis in the Bobtail Squid

Beneficial symbiosis, the partnering between organisms, is often vital for the survival of organisms. These relationships are often necessary for nutritional needs, environmental regulations, defensive mechanisms and much more. There is a growing interest in these relationships, with how they are established and the effects of changing climates. One example is the relationship between the bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes (ES), and the bioluminescent bacteria, Vibrio fischeri (VF). The establishment of VF colonies within the squid allows the squid to have bioluminescent properties, making the squid able to camouflage itself in the dark. Many aspects of this colonization process have yet to be well understood. We are studying the fluid dynamics of the colonization of the bacteria within the squid. We use the Method of Regularized Stokeslets to develop a mathematical model and computational simulations to explore the fluid dynamics and the resulting colonization of VF within the squid. In addition, by varying different parameters, based on experimental data, we begin to understand the impact of external forces. With this, we have begun to evaluate how varying temperatures affect the symbiotic relationship of ES and VF.