Metabolic Control Analysis(MCA) Essay -- Science Biochemistry

Introduction: In 1970s, a new method called (Metabolic Control Analysis) for analysing the distribution control of the flows and medium concentrations in the metabolic path between different enzymes that form the corridor, was developed by Henrik Kacser and other scientists. Since then, attention was paid to more research in this method and its applications, and developing analytical and educational tools (Wildermuth, 2000). In the flowing literature review, some examples of the significance of Metabolic Control Analysis, pros and cons will be discussed. Literature review: At first glance, engineering a metabolic system with aim of raising metabolite's yield or flux during a metabolic pathway system, could be done through the method of identifying and controlling, which called rate-limiting-steps. Rate-limiting steps is a certain steps in the paths that exercising the most control over the whole system. Though the good features of this method, the majority of experiments that were tried using that method to increase the pathway fluxes ended up with failure (Walker and Raply, 2009). In fact, the control of the system as a whole is distributed across the system’s components much more than esteemed. This area of distributed is a part of sensitivity analysis, which offered lots of applications for many engineering specializations and for economics as well. According to (Walker and Raply, 2009 ; Gunawardena, 2002), metabolic control analysis (MCA), was developed in 1973 in Edinburgh, by Henrik Kacser and Jim Burns, and, autonomously in Berlin in1974, by Reinhart Heinrich and Tom Rapaport through application of the general concept of sensitivity analysis, to provide a precise quantitative basis to determ... ... control and regulation. However, it is a good point to start for improving access to a deeper understanding better than what can be given by qualitative of conventional biochemistry. Works Cited Fell, D. (1997). Understanding the Control of Metabolism. London: Portland Press. Walker, J., & Raply, R. (2009). Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Cambridge: The Royal Society of Chemistry. Wildermuth, M. C. (2000). Minireview Metabolic control analysis: biological applications and insights. Genome Biology, 1(6). Retrieved May 1, 2011, from http://genomebiology.com/2000/1/6/reviews/1031 Gunawardena, J. (n.d.). Notes on Metabolic Control Analysis. Papers and Presentations from the Virtual Cell Program. Home of the Virtual Cell Program, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School. Retrieved January 9, 2011, from http://vcp.med.harvard.edu/papers.htm