Economics of periodic enzyme activities
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Optimal enzyme oscillations: Repressilator model
This model resembles in its structure the well-known genetic repressilator. Each of the three enzymes produces a compound, which is non-enzymatically consumed and which inhibits the following enzyme. The metabolic benefit (sum of production fluxes) can be increased by phase-shifted enzyme rhythms. A wave of enzyme activity proceeds along the cycle in reverse order, allowing each enzyme to peak shortly after the previous enzyme had its minimum level.
| Best spontaneous rhythm |
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Squares: enzyme levels Circles: metabolite levels