Abstract
A model chemical system is discussed as a possible basis for sustained rhythmic binary logic in biological systems. The model includes a “branch point” enzyme and two metabolic pathways. One pathway is a typical negative feedback scheme of the Yates-Pardee type; the other pathway involves a series of enzymes capable of displaying sigmoid relationships between activity and substrate concentration. Under the conditions described the concentration of one substance in the model is either very low (“off”) or, except for a short interval, very high (“on”). The time of the “off” to “on” or “on” to “off” transition is small compared to the total period of each cycle. The “on”—”off” cycle is sustained for at least 200 periods.
Public Health Service Career Development Awardee, National Institutes of Health award number K3-GM-11,237.
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References
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Walter, C. (1968). A Model for Sustained Rhythmic Binary Logic in Biochemical Systems. In: Locker, A. (eds) Quantitative Biology of Metabolism. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-51065-6_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-51065-6_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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