What process is glycolytic stoichiometry optimal for?
It has been proposed that the glycolytic stoichiometry of 2 ATP per glucose is the result of an optimization that maximizes the rate of ATP production. However, using a nonequilibrium thermodynamic approach, we show here that glycolysis operates under optimal output power and not at optimal flow of ATP production. Furthermore, it can be proved that the same maximal output power can be achieved with different stoichiometries. However, changes in the glycolytic stoichiometry would dramatically affect the efficiency of all those cellular processes powered by ATP. Our results suggest that the stoichiometric coefficient, as found in most contemporary cells, may be the outcome of an evolutionary process leading to yield an operative quantum energy for the hydrolysis of ATP.
del Valle
Alicia Esteban
AE
Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, 29071, Málaga, Spain.
Aledo
J Carlos
JC
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000465:Algorithms; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006019:Glycolysis / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D013816:Thermodynamics
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate