A new mathematical approach predicts individual cell growth behavior using bacterial population information.
A theoretical methodology has been developed for studying the growth kinetics of bacterial cells. It utilizes the steady-state cell length distribution in a bacterial population to predict the dependency of growth and division rates on cell length and age. The mathematical model has been applied to the analysis of two bacterial populations, a wild-type strain of Bacillus subtilis, and a minicell-producing strain that carries the divIVB1 mutation. The results show that our model describes the wild-type population very well and that the assumptions typically used in traditional methods are unrealistic. In the case of the minicell-producing mutant we find evidence that the rate of cell division must be a function not only of cell size but also of cell age.
Anderson
K R
KR
University of Minnesota, 400 Lind Hall, 207 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. kanderson@ima.umn.edu
Mendelson
N H
NH
Watkins
J C
JC
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000166:cytology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D013997:Time Factors