A physical model of cell metabolism

Scientific Reports
Jorge Fernandez-de-Cossio-Diaz, Alexei Vazquez

Abstract

Cell metabolism is characterized by three fundamental energy demands: to sustain cell maintenance, to trigger aerobic fermentation and to achieve maximum metabolic rate. The transition to aerobic fermentation and the maximum metabolic rate are currently understood based on enzymatic cost constraints. Yet, we are lacking a theory explaining the maintenance energy demand. Here we report a physical model of cell metabolism that explains the origin of these three energy scales. Our key hypothesis is that the maintenance energy demand is rooted on the energy expended by molecular motors to fluidize the cytoplasm and counteract molecular crowding. Using this model and independent parameter estimates we make predictions for the three energy scales that are in quantitative agreement with experimental values. The model also recapitulates the dependencies of cell growth with extracellular osmolarity and temperature. This theory brings together biophysics and cell biology in a tractable model that can be applied to understand key principles of cell metabolism.

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Citations

Jun 12, 2020·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Jan KozłowskiMarcin Czarnoleski
Jun 30, 2019·Scientific Reports·Jorge Fernandez-de-Cossio-DiazAlexei Vazquez
May 20, 2020·Physical Review. E·Jorge Fernandez-de-Cossio-Diaz, Roberto Mulet
May 26, 2021·Scientific Reports·Christian AermesClaudia Tanja Mierke
Jun 12, 2021·PLoS Computational Biology·Diana SzéliováIsabel Rocha
Jul 8, 2021·Translational Vision Science & Technology·Marco H JiEdward H Wood

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
protein folding

Software Mentioned

Mathematica

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