Energy, control and DNA structure in the living cell

Maintenance (let alone growth) of the highly ordered living cell is only possible through the continuous input of free energy. Coupling of energetically downhill processes (such as catabolic reactions) to uphill processes is essential to provide this free energy and is catalyzed by enzymes either di...

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Published in:Biophysical chemistry 1995-06, Vol.55 (1), p.153-165
Main Authors: Wijker, J.E., Jensen, P.R., Snoep, J.L., Vaz Gomes, A., Guiral, M., Jongsma, A.P.M., de Waal, A., Hoving, S., van Dooren, S., van der Weijden, C.C., van Workum, M., van Heeswijk, W.C., Molenaar, O., Wielinga, P., Richard, P., Diderich, J., Bakker, B.M., Teusink, B., Hemker, M., Rohwer, J.M., van der Gugten, A.A., Kholodenko, B.N., Westerhoff, H.V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adenosine Diphosphate - metabolism
Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism
Animals
Cascade regulation
Cells - metabolism
DNA - chemistry
DNA - metabolism
DNA supercoiling
Energy Metabolism
Glutamine synthetase
Homeostasis
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Magainins
Mathematics
Metabolic control
Models, Biological
Multidrug resistance
Signal Transduction
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Summary:Maintenance (let alone growth) of the highly ordered living cell is only possible through the continuous input of free energy. Coupling of energetically downhill processes (such as catabolic reactions) to uphill processes is essential to provide this free energy and is catalyzed by enzymes either directly or via “storage” in an intermediate high energy form, i.e., high ATP/ADP ratio or H + ion gradient. Although maintenance of a sufficiently high ATP/ADP ratio is essential to overcome the thermodynamic burden of uphill processes, it is not clear to what degree enzymes that control this ratio also control cell physiology. Indeed, in the living cell homeostatic control mechanisms might exist for the free-energy transduction pathways so as to prevent perturbation of cellular function when the Gibbs energy supply is compromised. This presentation addresse the extent to which the intracellular ATP level is involved in the control of cell physiology, how the elaborate control of cell function may be analyzed theoretically and quantitatively, and if this can be utilized selectively to affect certain cell types.
ISSN:0301-4622
1873-4200
DOI:10.1016/0301-4622(94)00148-D