Polarity-Driven Geometrical Cluster Growth Model of Budding Yeast

Cabral, Reniel;Lim, May T.

Abstract

We present a polarity-driven activator-inhibitor model of budding yeast in a two-dimensional medium wherein impeding metabolites secretion (or growth inhibitors) and growth directionality are determined by the local nutrient level. We found that colony size and morphological features varied with nutrient concentration. A branched-type morphology is associated with high impeding metabolite concentration together with a high fraction of distal budding, while opposite conditions (low impeding metabolite concentration, high fraction of proximal budding) promote Eden-type patterns. Increasing the anisotropy factor (or polarity) produced other spatial patterns akin to the electrical breakdown under varying electric field. Rapid changes in the colony morphology, which we conjecture to be equivalent to a transition from an inactive quiescent state to an active budding state, appeared when nutrients were limited.

Journal

International Journal of Modern Physics C

Publication Name

International Journal of Modern Physics C

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ISBN/ISSN

1793-6586

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World Scientific Publishing

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DOI

10.1142/S0129183110015749