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Simulation of growth of a filamentous fungus in 3 dimensions
Author(s) -
Lejeune Robert,
Baron Gino V.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0290(19970120)53:2<139::aid-bit3>3.0.co;2-p
Subject(s) - pellet , pellets , fractal dimension , growth rate , trichoderma reesei , tip growth , chemistry , diffusion , porosity , materials science , fractal , biological system , geometry , thermodynamics , mathematics , botany , composite material , physics , biology , cellulose , mathematical analysis , pollen , organic chemistry , pollination , pollen tube , cellulase
The tridimensional growth of a filamentous fungus was simulated, based on a model for the evolution of the microscopic morphology of Trichoderma reesei . When supplemented with a spatial representation of growth, the model correctly simulates the evolution from a single spore to a pellet. Diffusion of oxygen is included in the model. The simulated tridimensional structures have a fractal nature; and the fractal dimension, determined by a box‐counting method, increases during growth. The fractal dimension only depends on the mass of the pellet and is not affected by model parameters such as tip extension rate and branching frequency. Realistic pictures are obtained and the radius of the pellet increases at a constant rate. The influence of model parameters (tip extension rate, branching frequency, minimum porosity) on dissolved oxygen concentration profiles, biomass concentration profiles, rate at which the pellet diameter increases, and the evolution of the fractal dimension was determined. The dissolved oxygen profiles were found to be very different from the profiles, obtained by assuming a homogenous biomass distribution within the pellet. Finally, the formation of pellets from spore aggregates is calculated and the size of the spore aggregate is found to only influence the time needed before the appearance of a pellet and not its morphology. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.