Pattern formation inside bacteria: fluctuations due to low copy number of proteins

TL;DR

This paper investigates how low protein copy numbers in bacteria lead to fluctuations that are crucial for pattern formation, especially in the MinCDE system regulating cell division in E. coli.

Contribution

It introduces a stochastic model showing that fluctuations are essential for pattern formation and constrains protein concentration levels in bacteria.

Findings

Fluctuations are critical for pattern formation in certain parameter regimes.

Low protein copy numbers significantly influence pattern dynamics.

Fluctuations help determine feasible protein concentration ranges.

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.