Enhanced Cell Wall Mechanics in VirtualLeaf Enable Realistic Simulations of Plant Tissue Dynamics

Abstract

Computational modelling has become increasingly important in advancing our understanding of biological systems, necessitating the development of new computational approaches and software. VirtualLeaf, in particular, is a modelling framework for plant tissues that accounts for the biophysical mechanics of plant cell interactions. The plant cell wall plays a pivotal role in plant development and survival, with younger cells generally having thinner, more flexible (primary) walls than older cells. Signalling processes in growth and pathogen infection also affect cell wall stability. This article presents an updated version of VirtualLeaf with improved cell wall mechanics and morphing behaviour. These are crucial for ultimately understanding plant tissue dynamics and essential signalling processes during growth, tissue formation and pathogen defence. The updated version of VirtualLeaf enables detailed modelling of variations in cell wall stability to the level of individual cell wall elements. These improvements lay the groundwork for using VirtualLeaf to address new research questions, including the structural implications of pathogen infection and growth.