The synchronization and symmetry breaking of coupled bacterial pili can be controlled through experimental manipulation of mechanical wave behavior.

Controlling the synchronization and symmetry breaking of coupled bacterial pili on active biofilm carpets hypothes.is/a/sjHT8j5bEfGkR38P-HxEJQ **Reviewer #1 (Public review):** Summary: Overall, this is an interesting paper. The authors identify several experimental knobs that can perturb mechanical wave behavior driven by pili feedback. They frame these effects in terms of nonreciprocal…

Controlling the synchronization and symmetry breaking of coupled bacterial pili on active biofilm carpets hypothes.is/a/smICcD5bEfGFGhN-vbv2Zg **eLife Assessment** This important study concerns the propagation of waves in bacterial biofilms, bridging active matter physics and bacterial biophysics. The experimental observations are solid, and the theoretical interpretation and model…

Controlling the synchronization and symmetry breaking of coupled bacterial pili on active biofilm carpets hypothes.is/a/sc3zgj5bEfGOtT92nWLoOg **Author response:** The following is the authors’ response to the original reviews. > **eLife Assessment** > > This important study concerns the propagation of waves in bacterial biofilms, bridging active matter physics and bacterial biophysics. While…

Controlling the synchronization and symmetry breaking of coupled bacterial pili on active biofilm carpets hypothes.is/a/sf6iID5bEfG_ITMDUcbzzQ **Reviewer #3 (Public review):** Summary: The revised manuscript presents a compelling study of radially propagating metachronal waves on the surface of Pseudomonas nitroreducens biofilms, combining experiments with two theoretical descriptions…