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Discreteness-induced concentration inversion in mesoscopic chemical systems


Ramaswamy, Rajesh; González-Segredo, Nélido; Sbalzarini, Ivo F; Grima, Ramon (2012). Discreteness-induced concentration inversion in mesoscopic chemical systems. Nature Communications, 3:779.

Abstract

Molecular discreteness is apparent in small-volume chemical systems, such as biological cells, leading to stochastic kinetics. Here we present a theoretical framework to understand the effects of discreteness on the steady state of a monostable chemical reaction network. We consider independent realizations of the same chemical system in compartments of different volumes. Rate equations ignore molecular discreteness and predict the same average steady-state concentrations in all compartments. However, our theory predicts that the average steady state of the system varies with volume: if a species is more abundant than another for large volumes then the reverse occurs for volumes below a critical value, leading to a concentration inversion effect. The addition of extrinsic noise increases the size of the critical volume. We theoretically predict the critical volumes and verify by exact stochastic simulations that rate equations are qualitatively incorrect in sub-critical volumes.

Abstract

Molecular discreteness is apparent in small-volume chemical systems, such as biological cells, leading to stochastic kinetics. Here we present a theoretical framework to understand the effects of discreteness on the steady state of a monostable chemical reaction network. We consider independent realizations of the same chemical system in compartments of different volumes. Rate equations ignore molecular discreteness and predict the same average steady-state concentrations in all compartments. However, our theory predicts that the average steady state of the system varies with volume: if a species is more abundant than another for large volumes then the reverse occurs for volumes below a critical value, leading to a concentration inversion effect. The addition of extrinsic noise increases the size of the critical volume. We theoretically predict the critical volumes and verify by exact stochastic simulations that rate equations are qualitatively incorrect in sub-critical volumes.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:Special Collections > SystemsX.ch
Special Collections > SystemsX.ch > Research, Technology and Development Projects > LipidX
Special Collections > SystemsX.ch > Research, Technology and Development Projects > WingX
Dewey Decimal Classification:570 Life sciences; biology
Scopus Subject Areas:Physical Sciences > General Chemistry
Life Sciences > General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Physical Sciences > General Physics and Astronomy
Language:English
Date:2012
Deposited On:05 Jul 2013 10:26
Last Modified:24 Jan 2022 01:13
Publisher:Nature Publishing Group
ISSN:2041-1723
OA Status:Hybrid
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1775