The weaken-fill-repair model for cell budding: Linking cell wall biosynthesis with mechanics

The interplay between cellular mechanics and other biochemical processes leading to the cell cycle is poorly understood. Here, we propose a quantitative model of the mechanism of cell budding, particularly for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as a ''weaken-fill-repair'' process. This model links Newtonian mechanics over the cell wall with biochemical processes that change the mechanical properties of the wall. Our model shows that: (1) The oscillatory behavior in the size of the mother compartment during cell division, as observed experimentally, is an inevitable consequence of the budding mechanism; (2) The asymmetry of cell division is necessary for the daughter cell to maintain mechanical stiffness; (3) Although different aspects of a cell are strictly constrained and intricately interconnected, the budding process is governed by a single reduced parameter that, when at an appropriate value, can automatically achieve homeostasis. Our quantitative model of the evolution of cell walls and thei..., ,