Abstract
Concentration gradients inside cells are involved in key processes such as cell division and morphogenesis. Here we show that a model of the enzymatic step catalized by phosphofructokinase (PFK), a step which is responsible for the appearance of homogeneous oscillations in the glycolytic pathway, displays Turing patterns with an intrinsic length-scale that is smaller than a typical cell size. All the parameter values are fully consistent with classic experiments on glycolytic oscillations and equal diffusion coefficients are assumed for ATP and ADP. We identify the enzyme concentration and the glycolytic flux as the possible regulators of the pattern. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first closed example of Turing pattern formation in a model of a vital step of the cell metabolism, with a built-in mechanism for changing the diffusion length of the reactants, and with parameter values that are compatible with experiments. Turing patterns inside cells could provide a check-point that combines mechanical and biochemical information to trigger events during the cell division process.
Highlights
Concentration gradients inside the cytosol are a vital piece of the cell’s machinery
In this paper we have provided the first closed example of Turing pattern formation in a model of a vital piece of a cell’s real biochemistry, with a built-in mechanism for the change of the morphogens diffusion length, and with parameter values that are compatible with experiments
Our results suggest that the pattern of enzyme regulation that gives rise to the glycolytic oscillations may provide the basis for the formation of stationary spatial structures both at the cellular and supracellular level
Summary
Concentration gradients inside the cytosol are a vital piece of the cell’s machinery. The occurrence of Turing patterns has not been unequivocally proven for a biochemical reaction in which reaction rates, concentrations and diffusion coefficients are within realistic physiological values. We show the existence of cell-sized Turing patterns in a model of glycolysis, using realistic parameter values and equal diffusion coefficients of ATP and ADP.
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