title: Pattern formation inside bacteria: fluctuations due to the low copy number of proteins.
abstract: We examine fluctuation effects due to the low copy number of proteins involved in pattern-forming dynamics within a bacterium. We focus on a stochastic model of the oscillating MinCDE protein system regulating accurate cell division in E. coli. We find that, for some parameter regions, the protein concentrations are low enough that fluctuations are essential for the generation of patterns. We also examine the role of fluctuations in constraining protein concentration levels.
authors.affiliation: Instituut-Lorentz, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Rutenberg
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C462942:MinC protein, E coli; C093548:MinE protein, E coli; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C072069:MinD protein, E coli