Characteristic, completion or matching timescales? An analysis of temporary boundaries in enzyme kinetics

Scaling analysis exploiting timescale separation has been one of the most important techniques in the quantitative analysis of nonlinear dynamical systems in mathematical and theoretical biology. In the case of enzyme catalyzed reactions, it is often overlooked that the characteristic timescales used for the scaling the rate equations are not ideal for determining when concentrations and reaction rates reach their maximum values. In this work, we first illustrate this point by considering the classic example of the single-enzyme, single-substrate Michaelis--Menten reaction mechanism. We then extend this analysis to a more complicated reaction mechanism, the auxiliary enzyme reaction, in which a substrate is converted to product in two sequential enzyme-catalyzed reactions. In this case, depending on the ordering of the relevant timescales, several dynamic regimes can emerge. In addition to the characteristic timescales for these regimes, we derive matching timescales that determine (approximately) when the transitions from initial fast transient to steady-state kinetics occurs. The approach presented here is applicable to a wide range of singular perturbation problems in nonlinear dynamical systems.Comment: 35 pages, 11 figure

Validity of the Michaelis–Menten equation – steady‐state or reactant stationary assumption: that is the question

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/102681/1/febs12564.pd

Designing nanoparticle treatment of autoimmunity with quantitative biology

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141246/1/imcb201320.pd

Stochastic enzyme kinetics and the quasi-steady-state reductions: Application of the slow scale linear noise approximation \`a la Fenichel

The linear noise approximation models the random fluctuations from the mean field model of a chemical reaction that unfolds near the thermodynamic limit. Specifically, the fluctuations obey a linear Langevin equation up to order $\Omega^{-1/2}$, where $\Omega$ is the size of the chemical system (usually the volume). Under the presence of disparate timescales, the linear noise approximation admits a quasi-steady-state reduction referred to as the slow scale linear noise approximation. However, the slow scale linear approximation has only been derived for fast/slow systems that are in Tikhonov standard form. In this work, we derive the slow scale linear noise approximation directly from Fenichel theory, without the need for a priori scaling and dimensional analysis. In so doing, we can apply for the first time the slow scale linear noise approximation to fast/slow systems that are not of standard form. This is important, because often times algorithms are only computationally expensive in parameter ranges where the system is singularly perturbed, but not in standard form. We also comment on the breakdown of the slow scale linear noise approximation near dynamic bifurcation points -- a topic that has remained absent in the chemical kinetics literature, despite the presence of bifurcations in simple biochemical reactions, such the Michaelis--Menten reaction mechanism.Comment: 22 pages, 2 figure

The Quasi-Steady-State Approximations revisited: Timescales, small parameters, singularities, and normal forms in enzyme kinetic

In this work, we revisit the scaling analysis and commonly accepted conditions for the validity of the standard, reverse and total quasi-steady-state approximations through the lens of dimensional Tikhonov-Fenichel parameters and their respective critical manifolds. By combining Tikhonov-Fenichel parameters with scaling analysis and energy methods, we derive improved upper bounds on the approximation error for the standard, reverse and total quasi-steady-state approximations. Furthermore, previous analyses suggest that the reverse quasi-steady-state approximation is only valid when initial enzyme concentrations greatly exceed initial substrate concentrations. However, our results indicate that this approximation can be valid when initial enzyme and substrate concentrations are of equal magnitude. Using energy methods, we find that the condition for the validity of the reverse quasi-steady-state approximation is far less restrictive than was previously assumed, and we derive a new "small" parameter that determines the validity of this approximation. In doing so, we extend the established domain of validity for the reverse quasi-steady-state approximation. Consequently, this opens up the possibility of utilizing the reverse quasi-steady-state approximation to model enzyme catalyzed reactions and estimate kinetic parameters in enzymatic assays at much lower enzyme to substrate ratios than was previously thought. Moreover, we show for the first time that the critical manifold of the reverse quasi-steady-state approximation contains a singular point where normal hyperbolicity is lost. Associated with this singularity is a transcritical bifurcation, and the corresponding normal form of this bifurcation is recovered through scaling analysis.Comment: 50 pages, 10 figures, 1 tabl

A multiscale mathematical model of cancer, and its use in analyzing irradiation therapies

Background: Radiotherapy outcomes are usually predicted using the Linear Quadratic model. However, this model does not integrate complex features of tumor growth, in particular cell cycle regulation. Methods: In this paper, we propose a multiscale model of cancer growth based on the genetic and molecular features of the evolution of colorectal cancer. The model includes key genes, cellular kinetics, tissue dynamics, macroscopic tumor evolution and radiosensitivity dependence on the cell cycle phase. We investigate the role of gene-dependent cell cycle regulation in the response of tumors to therapeutic irradiation protocols. Results: Simulation results emphasize the importance of tumor tissue features and the need to consider regulating factors such as hypoxia, as well as tumor geometry and tissue dynamics, in predicting and improving radiotherapeutic efficacy. Conclusion: This model provides insight into the coupling of complex biological processes, which leads to a better understanding of oncogenesis. This will hopefully lead to improved irradiation therapy.Comment: 19 pages, 14, figures. Article available at http://www.tbiomed.com/content/3/1/7 Copyright 2006 Ribba et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cite