Abstract

In the yeast budding pathway, the asymmetric accumulation of Cdc42 on the plasma membrane is a precursor of bud-site selection. Cdc42 cap establishment requires either (1) actin cytoskeleton-dependent feedback or (2) Bem1 scaffolding-dependent feedback. Our goal is to understand how these two feedback mechanisms, individually and in combination, establish and maintain the Cdc42 caps.

We will discuss how we choose and apply different mathematical modeling approaches at different stages of the project and how we apply mathematical theorems to rule out a whole class of mathematical modeling approaches and possible biological mechanisms.

References

R Wedlich-Soldner, S C Wai, T Schmidt and R Li, "Robust cell polarity is a dynamic state established by coupling transport and GTPase signaling", J Cell Biol, 166:889-900, 2004. PubMed

R Wedlich-Soldner, S Altschuler, L Wu, L and R Li, "Spontaneous cell polarization through actomyosin-based delivery of the Cdc42 GTPase", Science 299:1231-1235, 2003. PubMed