Fig. 1

The single-cell growth model (SCGM) predicts non-linear growth behavoir. a Sketch of the SCGM. The cell volume is separated into an osmotic active volume V_os, accessible for solubles, V_os and a soluble-inaccessible volume V_b. Uptake of osmolytes over the membrane increases the internal osmolyte concentration c_i and thereby the internal osmotic pressure Π, which drives water influx and thus expands the cell. Volume expansion, in turn, is limited by the elasto-viscoplastic cell wall (represented as mechanical circuit). b, c Volume trajectory for an individual yeast cell. b The SCGM (blue line) shows different volume trajectories compared to linear (green dotted line) or exponential (orange dotted line) growth. c Varying uptake and consumption equally (k_u/c = const.), leaves final cell size V_final(t → ∞) unaffected, but changes growth rate (green lines). Alterations of ratio k_u/c affects final cell size V_final with V_final = 12π(k_u/c)³