Table 1 The choice of parameters for the simulations.

Cell radius, R

0.5

d_c

2

Cell mass, m

0.1

\({f}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}{t}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{2}{d}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Pilus spring constant, k

500

\({f}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}{d}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Pilus stall force, f_s

180

f_c

Maximum retraction velocity of pili, v₀

2

\({d}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}{t}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Number of pili per cell

7

10

Simulation time step, Δt

1 × 10⁻⁴

t_c

Division rate, α

1/500

\({t}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Diplococcus growth parameter, ν_r

1.0

\({d}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Pilus characteristic rupture time t₁

0.5

t_c

Pilus characteristic rupture time t₂

0.091

t_c

Pilus characteristic rupture force F_c,1

4.5

f_c

Pilus characteristic rupture force F_c,2

60

f_c

Pilus rupture rate, k_rupt

3

\({t}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Pilus binding cutoff distance, d_bind

2.5

d_c

Pilus binding rate, k_bind

10

\({t}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Pilus-pilus bond rupture force scale, F_rupt

22.5

f_c

2,32

Maximum conservative force, a₀

4000

\({f}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}{d}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Conservative force cutoff, d_con = 2R

1.0

d_c

Diplococcus spring constant, a_growth

4000

\({f}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}{d}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Friction coefficient, γ

50

\({f}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}{t}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}{d}_{{{{{{{{\rm{c}}}}}}}}}^{-1}\)

Thermal energy scale, k_BT

1 × 10⁻⁵

f_cd_c

Dissipative and random force cutoff, d_dpd

1.5

d_c