Glucans monomer-exchange dynamics as an open chemical network

TL;DR

This paper models the exchange dynamics of glucan monomers using open chemical networks, revealing conditions for equilibrium, steady states, and growth, with implications for understanding enzymatic processes in biological systems.

Contribution

It introduces a thermodynamic and dynamic framework for glucan exchange, highlighting the role of conservation laws and chemostatting in state determination.

Findings

Identification of three long-time behaviors: equilibrium, steady state, growth

Thermodynamic characterization of these states

Role of conservation laws in state transitions

Abstract

We describe the oligosaccharides-exchange dynamics performed by so-called D-enzymes on polysaccharides. To mimic physiological conditions, we treat this process as an open chemical network by assuming some of the polymer concentrations fixed (chemostatting). We show that three different long-time behaviors may ensue: equilibrium states, nonequilibrium steady states, and continuous growth states. We dynamically and thermodynamically characterize these states and emphasize the crucial role of conservation laws in identifying the chemostatting conditions inducing them.