1. Contributions of shape to nutrient acquisition.
Contributions of shape to nutrient acquisition. (A) Approximately equal diffusion spheres may enclose cells of different shapes. (B) Bacteria may respond to nutrient deprivation by filamentation, which increases their total surface area without an appreciable increase in the surface-to-volume ratio. (C) Prosthecate cells may respond to nutrient deprivation by elongating their thin prosthecae, which increases their total surface area while decreasing their surface-to-volume ratio.
Kevin D. Young Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 2006; doi: /MMBR