Polarity-based growth model of budding yeast

Abstract

We model the colony growth of budding-type yeast through its polarity property coupled with the diffusive metabolites (growth inhibitor) and nutrients (growth activator) in a two-dimensional medium. We observed 'blob-like' to 'dendritic' morphological patterns as we varied nutrient concentration and growth inhibition factor in the colony. We found that the distal budding mechanism is responsible for the formation of fingers at the growth front of the colony. On the other hand, the proximal budding mechanism explains impeded growth in the presence of high metabolite concentration, even in the presence of a growth-inducing high nutrient concentration.