Evolutionary Advantage of Cell Size Control.

ABSTRACT: We analyze the advantage of cell size control strategies in growing populations under mortality constraints and show that growth-dependent mortality can select for accurate size control. We determine how mortality, noise, and nongenetic heritability of cell size impact long-term population growth. We derive an analytical expression for the optimal cell size. We demonstrate that size heritability enables selection to act on the distribution of cell sizes in a population to avoid viability thresholds and adapt to size- and growth-dependent mortality landscapes.

SUBMITTER: Hobson-Gutierrez S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12310158 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature