A theory for coexistence and selection of branched actin networks in a shared and finite pool of monomers

arXiv:2511.23344v2 Announce Type: replace
Abstract: Cellular actin structures are continuously turned over while keeping similar sizes. Since they all compete for a shared pool of actin monomers, the question arises how they can coexist in these dynamic steady states. Recently, the coexistence of branched actin networks with different densities growing in a shared and finite pool of purified proteins has been demonstrated in a biomimetic bead assay. However, theoretical work in the context of organelle size regulation has mainly been focused on linear architectures, such as single filaments and bundles, and thus is not able to explain this observation. Here we show theoretically that the local depletion of actin monomers caused by the growth of a branched network naturally gives rise to a negative feedback loop between network density and growth rate, and that this competition is captured by one central ordinary differential equation. A comprehensive bifurcation analysis shows that the theory leads to well-defined steady states even in the case of multiple networks sharing the same pool of monomers, without any need for specific molecular processes. Under increasing competition strength, coexistence is replaced by selection. We also show that our theory is in excellent agreement with spatiotemporal simulations, implemented in a finite element framework, and that local depletion even occurs in the presence of a large pool of non-polymerizable actin. In summary, our work suggests that local monomer depletion is the decisive and universal factor controlling growth of branched actin networks.