Systematic evaluation of objective functions for predicting intracellular fluxes in Escherichia coli

Abstract To which extent can optimality principles describe the operation of metabolic networks? By explicitly considering experimental errors and in silico alternate optima in flux balance analysis, we systematically evaluate the capacity of 11 objective functions combined with eight adjustable con...

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Main Authors: Robert Schuetz, Lars Kuepfer, Uwe Sauer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2007-07-01
Series:Molecular Systems Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/msb4100162
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author Robert Schuetz
Lars Kuepfer
Uwe Sauer
author_facet Robert Schuetz
Lars Kuepfer
Uwe Sauer
author_sort Robert Schuetz
collection DOAJ
description Abstract To which extent can optimality principles describe the operation of metabolic networks? By explicitly considering experimental errors and in silico alternate optima in flux balance analysis, we systematically evaluate the capacity of 11 objective functions combined with eight adjustable constraints to predict 13C‐determined in vivo fluxes in Escherichia coli under six environmental conditions. While no single objective describes the flux states under all conditions, we identified two sets of objectives for biologically meaningful predictions without the need for further, potentially artificial constraints. Unlimited growth on glucose in oxygen or nitrate respiring batch cultures is best described by nonlinear maximization of the ATP yield per flux unit. Under nutrient scarcity in continuous cultures, in contrast, linear maximization of the overall ATP or biomass yields achieved the highest predictive accuracy. Since these particular objectives predict the system behavior without preconditioning of the network structure, the identified optimality principles reflect, to some extent, the evolutionary selection of metabolic network regulation that realizes the various flux states.
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spelling doaj-art-08a1ba2036b84e48b29f60d3ad45bcfb2025-08-24T12:01:53ZengSpringer NatureMolecular Systems Biology1744-42922007-07-013111510.1038/msb4100162Systematic evaluation of objective functions for predicting intracellular fluxes in Escherichia coliRobert Schuetz0Lars Kuepfer1Uwe Sauer2Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETHInstitute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETHInstitute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETHAbstract To which extent can optimality principles describe the operation of metabolic networks? By explicitly considering experimental errors and in silico alternate optima in flux balance analysis, we systematically evaluate the capacity of 11 objective functions combined with eight adjustable constraints to predict 13C‐determined in vivo fluxes in Escherichia coli under six environmental conditions. While no single objective describes the flux states under all conditions, we identified two sets of objectives for biologically meaningful predictions without the need for further, potentially artificial constraints. Unlimited growth on glucose in oxygen or nitrate respiring batch cultures is best described by nonlinear maximization of the ATP yield per flux unit. Under nutrient scarcity in continuous cultures, in contrast, linear maximization of the overall ATP or biomass yields achieved the highest predictive accuracy. Since these particular objectives predict the system behavior without preconditioning of the network structure, the identified optimality principles reflect, to some extent, the evolutionary selection of metabolic network regulation that realizes the various flux states.https://doi.org/10.1038/msb410016213C-fluxevolutionflux balance analysismetabolic networknetwork optimality
spellingShingle Robert Schuetz
Lars Kuepfer
Uwe Sauer
Systematic evaluation of objective functions for predicting intracellular fluxes in Escherichia coli
Molecular Systems Biology
13C-flux
evolution
flux balance analysis
metabolic network
network optimality
title Systematic evaluation of objective functions for predicting intracellular fluxes in Escherichia coli
title_full Systematic evaluation of objective functions for predicting intracellular fluxes in Escherichia coli
title_fullStr Systematic evaluation of objective functions for predicting intracellular fluxes in Escherichia coli
title_full_unstemmed Systematic evaluation of objective functions for predicting intracellular fluxes in Escherichia coli
title_short Systematic evaluation of objective functions for predicting intracellular fluxes in Escherichia coli
title_sort systematic evaluation of objective functions for predicting intracellular fluxes in escherichia coli
topic 13C-flux
evolution
flux balance analysis
metabolic network
network optimality
url https://doi.org/10.1038/msb4100162
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AT larskuepfer systematicevaluationofobjectivefunctionsforpredictingintracellularfluxesinescherichiacoli
AT uwesauer systematicevaluationofobjectivefunctionsforpredictingintracellularfluxesinescherichiacoli