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Is a constant low-entropy process at the root of glycolytic oscillations?

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Abstract

We measured temporal oscillations in thermodynamic variables such as temperature, heat flux, and cellular volume in suspensions of non-dividing yeast cells which exhibit temporal glycolytic oscillations. Oscillations in these variables have the same frequency as oscillations in the activity of intracellular metabolites, suggesting strong coupling between them. These results can be interpreted in light of a recently proposed theoretical formalism in which isentropic thermodynamic systems can display coupled oscillations in all extensive and intensive variables, reminiscent of adiabatic waves. This interpretation suggests that oscillations may be a consequence of the requirement of living cells for a constant low-entropy state while simultaneously performing biochemical transformations, i.e., remaining metabolically active. This hypothesis, which is in line with the view of the cellular interior as a highly structured and near equilibrium system where energy inputs can be low and sustain regular oscillatory regimes, calls into question the notion that metabolic processes are essentially dissipative.

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Acknowledgements

HST and LFO thank the Danish Council for Independent Research|Natural Sciences for support. LAB is a member of the Argentinian Research Council (CONICET) research career. The authors thank Anita Lunding for skilled technical assistance.

Funding

This study was funded by a grant from the Danish Council for Independent Research|Natural Sciences (grant # DFF - 4002-00465).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MEMPHYS - International and Interdisciplinary Research Network, Odense M, Denmark

    Henrik Seir Thoke, Lars F. Olsen, Lars Duelund, R. P. Stock & Luis A. Bagatolli

  2. University of Southern Denmark, Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark

    Henrik Seir Thoke & Lars F. Olsen

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Environmental Technology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark

    Lars Duelund

  4. Membrane Biophysics Group, Niels Bohr Institute University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Thomas Heimburg

  5. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Friuli 2434, 5016, Córdoba, Argentina

    Luis A. Bagatolli

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  1. Henrik Seir Thoke
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Correspondence to Luis A. Bagatolli.

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Thoke, H.S., Olsen, L.F., Duelund, L. et al. Is a constant low-entropy process at the root of glycolytic oscillations?. J Biol Phys 44, 419–431 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10867-018-9499-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10867-018-9499-2

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