A generic rate equation for catalysed, template‐directed polymerisation. Issue 17 (12th July 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hofmeyr, Jan-Hendrik S.; Gqwaka, Olona P.C.; Rohwer, Johann M.
• Is Part Of: FEBS letters. Volume 587:Issue 17(2013)
• Page Start: 2868
• Page End: 2875
• Publication Date: 2013-07-12
• Subjects: Template-directed polymerisation -- Generic rate equation; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; Biophysics -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Biochimie -- Périodiques; Biochemistry; Biophysics; Molecular biology; Periodicals; 572.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.07.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0014-5793

Abstract

Abstract : Biosynthetic networks link to growth and reproduction processes through template‐directed synthesis of macromolecules such as polynucleotides and polypeptides. No rate equation exists that captures this link in a way that it can effectively be incorporated into a single computational model of the overall process. This paper describes the derivation of such a generic steady‐state rate equation for catalysed, template‐directed polymerisation reactions with varying monomer stoichiometry and varying chain length. The derivation is based on a classical Michaelis–Menten mechanism with template binding and an arbitrary number of chain elongation steps that produce a polymer composed of an arbitrary number of monomer types. The rate equation only requires the identity of the first dimer in the polymer sequence; for the remainder only the monomer composition needs be known. Further simplification of a term in the denominator yielded an equation requiring no positional information at all, only the monomer composition of the polymer; this equation still gave an excellent estimate of the reaction rate provided that either the monomer concentrations are at least half‐saturating, or the polymer is very long.