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Updated: Jun 9, 2026
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Manipulation and Analysis of Cell Cycle-Dependent Processes in Budding Yeast
Published on: September 26, 2025
A model of yeast cell-cycle regulation based on multisite phosphorylation
Debashis Barik1, William T Baumann, Mark R Paul
1Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
Molecular Systems Biology
|August 27, 2010
Summary
This study models cell cycle regulation in yeast, revealing that molecular noise doesn't disrupt essential cell cycle progression. The model shows that bistable switching ensures genome integrity across cell generations.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Systems Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Accurate genome transmission requires precise cell cycle execution, despite inherent molecular noise in eukaryotic cells.
- Understanding how molecular fluctuations affect cell cycle progression is crucial for cell division fidelity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a new model of cell cycle regulation in budding yeast, incorporating molecular noise.
- To investigate the impact of noise on cell cycle progression and bistable switching behavior.
Main Methods:
- Constructed a computational model of Cln and Clb-dependent kinase regulation, including multisite phosphorylation and feedback loops.
- Incorporated mRNA and protein dynamics to account for transcription and translation noise.
- Simulated the model deterministically and stochastically to analyze cell cycle dynamics.
Main Results:
- The model demonstrates bistable switching behavior essential for cell cycle progression.
- This bistable switching is robust to molecular noise levels typical in yeast cells.
- The model accurately predicts variability in the G1-S transition, consistent with a sizer+timer control system.
Conclusions:
- Molecular noise does not impede the robust cell cycle progression in budding yeast.
- Bistable switching is a key mechanism for maintaining cell cycle fidelity despite stochasticity.
- The developed model provides a quantitative framework for understanding cell cycle control in yeast.
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