Diffusion-limited growth of microbial colonies
Diffusion-limited growth of microbial colonies
The emergence of diffusion-limited growth (DLG) within a microbial colony on a solid substrate is studied using a combination of mathematical modelling and experiments. Using an agent-based model of the interaction between microbial cells and a diffusing nutrient, it is shown that growth directed towards a nutrient source may be used as an indicator that DLG is influencing the colony morphology. A continuous reaction-diffusion model for microbial growth is employed to identify the parameter regime in which DLG is expected to arise. Comparisons between the model and experimental data are used to argue that the bacterium Bacillus subtilis can undergo DLG, while the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cannot, and thus the non-uniform growth exhibited by this yeast must be caused by the pseudohyphal growth mode rather than limited nutrient availability. Experiments testing directly for DLG features in yeast colonies are used to confirm this hypothesis.
Tronnolone, Hayden
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Tam, Alexander
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Szenczi, Zoltán
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Green, J. E.F.
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Balasuriya, Sanjeeva
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Tek, Ee Lin
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Gardner, Jennifer M.
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Sundstrom, Joanna F.
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Jiranek, Vladimir
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Oliver, Stephen G.
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Binder, Benjamin J.
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1 December 2018
Tronnolone, Hayden
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Tam, Alexander
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Szenczi, Zoltán
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Green, J. E.F.
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Balasuriya, Sanjeeva
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Tek, Ee Lin
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Gardner, Jennifer M.
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Sundstrom, Joanna F.
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Jiranek, Vladimir
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Oliver, Stephen G.
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Binder, Benjamin J.
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Tronnolone, Hayden, Tam, Alexander, Szenczi, Zoltán, Green, J. E.F., Balasuriya, Sanjeeva, Tek, Ee Lin, Gardner, Jennifer M., Sundstrom, Joanna F., Jiranek, Vladimir, Oliver, Stephen G. and Binder, Benjamin J.
(2018)
Diffusion-limited growth of microbial colonies.
Scientific Reports, 8 (1), [5992].
(doi:10.1038/s41598-018-23649-z).
Abstract
The emergence of diffusion-limited growth (DLG) within a microbial colony on a solid substrate is studied using a combination of mathematical modelling and experiments. Using an agent-based model of the interaction between microbial cells and a diffusing nutrient, it is shown that growth directed towards a nutrient source may be used as an indicator that DLG is influencing the colony morphology. A continuous reaction-diffusion model for microbial growth is employed to identify the parameter regime in which DLG is expected to arise. Comparisons between the model and experimental data are used to argue that the bacterium Bacillus subtilis can undergo DLG, while the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cannot, and thus the non-uniform growth exhibited by this yeast must be caused by the pseudohyphal growth mode rather than limited nutrient availability. Experiments testing directly for DLG features in yeast colonies are used to confirm this hypothesis.
Text
s41598-018-23649-z
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Accepted/In Press date: 14 March 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 16 April 2018
Published date: 1 December 2018
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 482983
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/482983
ISSN: 2045-2322
PURE UUID: 4b8ebf4f-495f-4945-aaa4-c31d73fcab35
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Date deposited: 18 Oct 2023 16:37
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 04:12
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Contributors
Author:
Hayden Tronnolone
Author:
Alexander Tam
Author:
Zoltán Szenczi
Author:
J. E.F. Green
Author:
Sanjeeva Balasuriya
Author:
Ee Lin Tek
Author:
Jennifer M. Gardner
Author:
Joanna F. Sundstrom
Author:
Vladimir Jiranek
Author:
Stephen G. Oliver
Author:
Benjamin J. Binder
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