Resistance to stress is an importan

Resistance to stress is an important ecological function, and often the resistance is heterogeneous within a population, including a small non- or slow-growing resistant fraction that ensures the survival of the population (i.e., bet hedging). Hellweger et al. (2014a) studied this process using an IBM of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that included explicit representation of the proteins Tsl1 and Tps3 and their synthesis of the stress protectant trehalose. The study included several model– data comparisons, including Tsl1 and Tps3 protein levels for the population and the distribution of the metabolite trehalose for individuals and fractions of the population (Figure 5). The model was able to reproduce the heterogeneous synthesis of trehalose and predicted fitness benefit of various synthesis strategies (e.g., constant and age correlated).