Perspective: a stirring role for metabolism in cells.
Mol Syst Biol
; 18(4): e10822, 2022 04.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35362256
ABSTRACT
Based on recent findings indicating that metabolism might be governed by a limit on the rate at which cells can dissipate Gibbs energy, in this Perspective, we propose a new mechanism of how metabolic activity could globally regulate biomolecular processes in a cell. Specifically, we postulate that Gibbs energy released in metabolic reactions is used to perform work, allowing enzymes to self-propel or to break free from supramolecular structures. This catalysis-induced enzyme movement will result in increased intracellular motion, which in turn can compromise biomolecular functions. Once the increased intracellular motion has a detrimental effect on regulatory mechanisms, this will establish a feedback mechanism on metabolic activity, and result in the observed thermodynamic limit. While this proposed explanation for the identified upper rate limit on cellular Gibbs energy dissipation rate awaits experimental validation, it offers an intriguing perspective of how metabolic activity can globally affect biomolecular functions and will hopefully spark new research.
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Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Termodinâmica
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Mol Syst Biol
Assunto da revista:
BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR
/
BIOTECNOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Holanda