dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaAsexual and sexual replication in sporulating organisms
| Authors | Bohyun Lee, Emmanuel Tannenbaum |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | q-bio/0611063 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/q-bio/0611063 |
| DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevE.76.021909 |
Abstract
This paper develops models describing asexual and sexual replication in sporulating organisms. Replication via sporulation is the replication strategy for all multicellular life, and may even be observed in unicellular life (such as with budding yeast). We consider diploid populations replicating via one of two possible sporulation mechanisms: (1) Asexual sporulation, whereby adult organisms produce single-celled diploid spores that grow into adults themselves. (2) Sexual sporulation, whereby adult organisms produce single-celled diploid spores that divide into haploid gametes. The haploid gametes enter a haploid "pool", where they may recombine with other haploids to form a diploid spore that then grows into an adult. We consider a haploid fusion rate given by second-order reaction kinetics. We work with a simplified model where the diploid genome consists of only two chromosomes, each of which may be rendered defective with a single point mutation of the wild-type. We find that the asexual strategy is favored when the rate of spore production is high compared to the characteristic growth rate from a spore to a reproducing adult. Conversely, the sexual strategy is favored when the rate of spore production is low compared to the characteristic growth rate from a spore to a reproducing adult. As the characteristic growth time increases, or as the population density increases, the critical ratio of spore production rate to organism growth rate at which the asexual strategy overtakes the sexual one is pushed to higher values. Therefore, the results of this model suggest that, for complex multicellular organisms, sexual replication is favored at high population densities, and low growth and sporulation rates.
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"abstract": "This paper develops models describing asexual and sexual replication in\nsporulating organisms. Replication via sporulation is the replication strategy\nfor all multicellular life, and may even be observed in unicellular life (such\nas with budding yeast). We consider diploid populations replicating via one of\ntwo possible sporulation mechanisms: (1) Asexual sporulation, whereby adult\norganisms produce single-celled diploid spores that grow into adults\nthemselves. (2) Sexual sporulation, whereby adult organisms produce\nsingle-celled diploid spores that divide into haploid gametes. The haploid\ngametes enter a haploid \"pool\", where they may recombine with other haploids to\nform a diploid spore that then grows into an adult. We consider a haploid\nfusion rate given by second-order reaction kinetics. We work with a simplified\nmodel where the diploid genome consists of only two chromosomes, each of which\nmay be rendered defective with a single point mutation of the wild-type. We\nfind that the asexual strategy is favored when the rate of spore production is\nhigh compared to the characteristic growth rate from a spore to a reproducing\nadult. Conversely, the sexual strategy is favored when the rate of spore\nproduction is low compared to the characteristic growth rate from a spore to a\nreproducing adult. As the characteristic growth time increases, or as the\npopulation density increases, the critical ratio of spore production rate to\norganism growth rate at which the asexual strategy overtakes the sexual one is\npushed to higher values. Therefore, the results of this model suggest that, for\ncomplex multicellular organisms, sexual replication is favored at high\npopulation densities, and low growth and sporulation rates.",
"arxiv_id": "q-bio/0611063",
"authors": [
"Bohyun Lee",
"Emmanuel Tannenbaum"
],
"categories": [
"q-bio.PE",
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],
"doi": "10.1103/PhysRevE.76.021909",
"title": "Asexual and sexual replication in sporulating organisms",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/q-bio/0611063"
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