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arXiv:1312.0674physics.bio-ph

Shape-dependent bounds on cell growth rates

Jonathan Landy

Early discovery. Linked by one identifiable commenter. This paper is outside the main ranking; a mention is not an endorsement.

Abstract

I consider how cell shape and environmental geometry affect the rate of nutrient capture and the consequent maximum growth rate of a cell, focusing on rod-like species like \textit{E.\ coli}. Simple modeling immediately implies that it is the elongated profiles of such cells that allows for them to grow -- as observed -- at exponential rates in nutrient-rich media. Growth is strongly suppressed when nutrient capture is diffusion-limited: In three dimensions, the length is bounded by $\log L \lesssim t^{1/2}$, and in lower dimensions growth is algebraic. Similar bounds are easily obtained for other cell geometries, groups of cells, \textit{etc}. Fits of experimental growth curves to such bounds can be used to estimate various quantities of interest, including generalized metabolic rates.

arXiv comments
Third version now includes a section on typical experimental conditions. Title has been changed. To be published in Europhysics Letters
Journal reference
2014 EPL 105 68002
DOI
doi:10.1209/0295-5075/105/68002
Subjects
physics.bio-phBiological Physics cond-mat.softSoft Condensed Matter q-bio.CBCell Behavior

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Linked by 1 identifiable commenter in 2 comments across 2 threads, from Jun 2022 to Jun 2026.

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Discussed in comments2 threads

  1. Why are cells small? 1 comment

    • FWIW I wrote a paper on nutrient-limited growth rates of cells and how that depends on their shape. one of the interesting findings was that elongated cells can grow exponentially quickly (as observed) while spheres quickly max out. https://arxiv.org/abs/1312.0674

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  2. One centimeter long bacterium discovered 1 comment

    • I happened to write a paper on just this issue (shameless plug)! You're right: With a sphere, the metabolic consumption grows like R^3 but nutrient capture goes like the surface area, which scales like R^2. The result is a max radius R where nutrient in can support the…

      efavdbView on HNParent context

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