Polarization as a Process: The Potential of Process Ontology for Understanding Cellular Symmetry Breaking

Area of Science:

• Molecular Cell Biology
• Philosophy of Biology
• Systems Biology

Background:

• Traditional molecular cell biology focuses on genes and proteins.
• Biomolecule function is context-dependent, challenging component-based explanations.
• Process ontology proposes processes, not objects, as fundamental units of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the applicability of process ontology in cell biology.
• To explore processual perspectives in the context of yeast polarization.
• To identify how process thinking can generate new scientific questions and research approaches.

Main Methods:

• Case study analysis of budding yeast polarization.
• Identification of relevant biological processes across different timescales.
• Examination of the impact of processual perspective on understanding polarity.

Main Results:

• The processual perspective offers a valuable framework for analyzing complex cellular phenomena like yeast polarization.
• Applying process ontology reveals new questions about cellular mechanisms and dynamics.
• This approach highlights the importance of temporal and contextual factors in biological function.

Conclusions:

• Process ontology provides a powerful alternative to traditional molecular approaches in cell biology.
• Integrating processual thinking can enhance our understanding of cellular systems.
• The study offers practical guidance for incorporating process-based research into cell biology.