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Survival in branching cellular populations
Adam S Bryant1, Maxim O Lavrentovich1
1Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37966, USA.
Theoretical Population Biology
|January 30, 2022
Summary
Cellular population evolution depends on branching structure. Branching geometry impacts strain survival, with an optimal rate balancing growth and extinction risks for neutral strains.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Mathematical modeling
- Cellular dynamics
Background:
- Understanding cellular population evolution is crucial in various biological systems like growing ducts or microbial colonies.
- Branching structures in biological systems present unique challenges for evolutionary dynamics analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a statistical model for analyzing evolutionary dynamics in confluent, branching cellular populations.
- To investigate how branching geometry influences the survival probability of cell strains.
Main Methods:
- Utilized simulations and analytical approaches to model evolutionary dynamics.
- Developed a coarse-grained statistical model focusing on essential dynamic features.
- Parameterized models using branch diameter (N0) and branching rate (b).
Main Results:
- Branch bifurcations enhance survival probability due to population growth (inflation).
- Branch termination and small population size at tips increase extinction probability.
- Neutral strain survival probability is maximized at an optimal branching rate.
- Increasing selective advantage (s) reduces inflationary effects and alters mutant fate determination time.
Conclusions:
- Branching geometry is a critical factor in cellular population evolution and strain survival.
- An optimal branching rate exists for maximizing neutral strain survival.
- Selective advantage significantly modifies evolutionary dynamics in branching populations.
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