Nonlinear diffusion as a model mechanism for pattern formation in yeast biofilms
Date:
Abstract: Yeasts are an important model organism in cell biology research. They have extensive effects on human life – and not just in the production of alcohol! They also cause many pathogenic infections by contaminating medical devices, and are highly resistant to anti-microbial therapies. This resistance is due to yeast’s ability to form colonies, for example biofilms. Pattern formation in bacterial biofilms has been extensively studied, but much less is known about yeast colonies. Recent research hypothesises that a reaction-diffusion system with nonlinear cell diffusion can capture much of the yeast biofilm pattern formation. In this talk, we explain how constructing sharp-fronted travelling wave solutions allow us to estimate the speed of colony expansion. We will then show that a two-dimensional travelling wave front is unstable to non-planar perturbations under some conditions. This mathematical framework provides a basis for comparison with yeast growth experiments.