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. 2015 Mar 27;11(3):e1004129. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004129

Fig 3. Diffusion scheme.

Fig 3

Schematic representation of the diffusion processes that sustain the heterocyst pattern. Heterocysts produce cN and PatS. cN diffuses along the filament where, due to the action of the GS/GOGAT cycle (see Fig. 2), decreases the levels of 2-OG breaking the autoregulatory core NtcA-HetR. Early during the differentiation, PatS (or other derivative of it, see the text) diffuses along the filament inhibiting HetR. Both processes combined prevent the differentiation of the rest of vegetative cells and explain the formation of the pattern.