Molecule Synthesis and Degradation

Abstract

The present chapter is advocated to analyzing the dynamics of a simple birth–death process from the perspectives of chemical kinetics, stochastic processes, and thermodynamics. This process is important because, under certain conditions, it constitutes a good model for the numerous biomolecule production/degradation processes taking place within cells. To facilitate the achievement of the above stated goal, a couple of simple stochastic processes are previously introduced and analyzed in detail: the Poisson process and a simple pure death process. The objectives of the present chapter are twofold. On the one hand, we will gain deeper insight into the previous chapter methods, results, and conclusions, by tackling more elaborated examples. But also, the examples here introduced shall serve as building blocks for more realistic cellular-process models to be introduced thereafter. As a bonus, we also introduce and discuss some basic concepts of irreversible thermodynamics in the context of chemical kinetics.