The Virtual Root : Mathematical Modeling of Auxin Transport in the Arabidopsis Root Tip Using the Open-Source Software SimuPlant.

Abstract

Hormone signals like auxin play a critical role controlling plant growth and development. Determining the mechanisms that regulate auxin distribution in cells and tissues is a vital step in understanding this hormone's role during plant development. Recent mathematical models have enabled us to understand the essential role that auxin influx and efflux carriers play in auxin transport in the Arabidopsis root tip (Band et al., Plant Cell 26(3):862-875, 2014; Grieneisen et al., Nature 449(7165):1008-1013, 2007; van den Berg et al., Development 143(18):3350-3362, 2016). In this chapter, we describe SimuPlant: The Virtual Root (SimuPlant, University of Nottingham. https://www.simuplant.org/ . Accessed 20 Sept 2019); an open source software suite, built using the OpenAlea (Pradal et al., Funct Plant Biol 35(10):751-760, 2008) framework, that is designed to simulate vertex-based models in real plant tissue geometries. We provide guidance on how to install SimuPlant, run 2D auxin transport models in the Arabidopsis root tip, manipulate parameters, and visualize model outputs.SimuPlant features a graphical user interface (GUI) designed to allow users with no programming experience to simulate auxin dynamics within the Arabidopsis root tip. Within the user interface, users of SimuPlant can select from a range of model assumptions and can choose to manipulate model and simulation parameter values. Users can then investigate how their choices affect the predicted distribution of auxin in the Arabidopsis root tip. The results of the model simulations are shown visually within the root geometry and can be exported and saved as PNG image files.