Closed and Open Metabolic Cycles: Transition Time

Abstract

A metabolic cycle can be viewed as a central core and its branches. The central core is here firstly considered as a pre-closed metabolic cycle (CMC), with a unique first substrate, but with no input or output of other components. By contrast, the metabolic cycles in nature are open metabolic cycles (OMC) with output and input of external substrates (through “metabolic branches”), modulating continuously the enzyme activities and the total concentration of their substrates thorough complex regulatory phenomena. In this work, the transition from a Closed to an Open metabolic cycle has been simulated by a consecutive entry and exit of two components through the catalytic action of two enzymes. It is known that after any alteration of the initial conditions, the cycles need a time to reach new equilibrium. We have measured the changes of transition time (T.T.) values in 81 models of CMC differing in Km or V max values. In general, the T.T. tends to be shorter in cycles with preponderant lower Km and higher V max values. Further, Mathematica refinement for the estimation of transition time from the data previously calculated can be obtained with the use of the command Interpolating Function .