Photosynthetic metabolism of C-3 plants shows highly cooperative
regulation under changing environments: A systems biological analysis
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 106 (3):
847--852 (2009)Abstract
We studied the robustness of photosynthetic
metabolism in the chloroplasts of C-3 plants under drought stress
and at high CO2 concentration conditions by using a method called
Minimization of Metabolic Adjustment Dynamic Flux Balance Analysis
(M_DFBA). Photosynthetic metabolism in the chloroplasts of C3 plants
applies highly cooperative regulation to minimize the fluctuation of
metabolite concentration profiles in the face of transient perturbations.
Our work suggests that highly cooperative regulation assures the
robustness of the biological system and that there is closer cooperation
under perturbation conditions than under normal conditions. This
results in minimizing fluctuations in the profiles of metabolite
concentrations, which is the key to maintaining a system's function. Our
methods help in understanding such phenomena and the mechanisms of
robustness for complex metabolic networks in dynamic processes.