A stochastic 1D nearest-neighbour automaton models early development of the brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus
Bernard Billoud A D , Aude Le Bail B C and Bénédicte Charrier B CA UPMC Univ Paris 06, Atelier de Bioinformatique, MB1202, F75005 Paris, France.
B UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR7139 Végétaux marins et biomolécules, Station Biologique, F29682 Roscoff cedex, France.
C CNRS, UMR7139 Végétaux marins et biomolécules, Station Biologique, F29682 Roscoff cedex, France.
D Corresponding author. Email: bernard.billoud@snv.jussieu.fr
This paper originates from a presentation at the 5th International Workshop on Functional–Structural Plant Models, Napier, New Zealand, November 2007.
Functional Plant Biology 35(10) 1014-1024 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP08036
Submitted: 26 February 2008 Accepted: 25 July 2008 Published: 11 November 2008
Abstract
Early development of the filamentous brown alga Ectocarpus siliculosus (Dillwyn) Lyngbye involves two cell types that are arranged in a polymorphic, but constrained, pattern. The present study aimed to decipher the cellular processes responsible for the establishment of this pattern. Thorough observations characterised five different events of division and differentiation that occurred during the early development. The hypothesis that a local control is responsible for these processes was tested. To do so, Ectomat, a stochastic automaton in which each cell only interacts with its closest neighbour(s), was created. The probabilities for the five events were adjusted to fit to the observations. Simulations with Ectomat reconstructed most of the essential properties of the sporophyte development, in terms of cell-type proportion, relative position and growth dynamics. The whole organism properties emerged by applying local transition rules. In conclusion, no global position information system was required at this development stage. Randomly occurring cell events, driven by simple contact interactions, are sufficient to account for the early filament development and establishment of the cell-type pattern of E. siliculosus.
Additional keywords: cell communication, filament, morphogenesis, multicellularity, optimisation, Phaeophyceae.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Isabelle Gonçalves (Atelier de BioInformatique and Institut Jacques Monod, Laboratoire Structure et Dynamique du Génome) for computing facilities and Eduardo Rocha (Atelier de BioInformatique and Institut Pasteur) for valuable advice in the article redaction. The reviewers’ comments have also helped to improve the manuscript, especially regarding the bibliography. A. Le Bail was supported by a grant from the French Ministry of Research.
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