Posted on behalf of David Fell ....
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James Anderson asks what is the `rate-limiting step' in the development of
mathematical areas such as Metabolic Control Analysis. It is not an entirely
flippant reply to say that a major problem is all the people who believe
in the existence of rate-limiting steps, certainly in the case of
Metabolic Control Analysis. Metabolic Control Analysis teaches (see discussion
under 'Universal Method' on this board) that there is no reason to expect that
there is a single dominant process, and plenty of reasons to expect that the
rate limitation is distributed (albeit unequally) about the system.
Furthermore, if you attempt to improve things by just targeting one step,
you reduce the response to changes at that step and find that the other
processes are becoming increasingly limiting. The Universal Method says that
if you want a big change in rate, the only certain way is to increase the
throughput at every stage in the pathway.
However, here we are dealing with people, and motivation is important. There
would be more motivation generally to pursue topics like Metabolic Control
Analysis if the biochemical community as a whole would recognise that
the concept of the rate-limiting step is a hindrance to progress.
David Fell
daf at bms.brookes.ac.uk
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"
Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit (Virgil)
[approx] Tr: The time may come when we will look back on these days and laugh
"
