scholarly journals Free energy levels and entropy production in muscle contraction and in related solution systems.

1976 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 336-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. Hill ◽  
R. M. Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Free Energy ◽  
Muscle Contraction ◽  
Entropy Production ◽  
Energy Levels

Metabolic and energy correlates of intracellular pH in progressive fatigue of squid (L. brevis) mantle muscle

1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (5) ◽  
pp. R1403-R1414 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. O. Portner ◽  
E. Finke ◽  
P. G. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Free Energy ◽  
Critical Velocity ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Swimming Velocity ◽  
High Energy Phosphates ◽  
Energy Status ◽  
Intracellular Acidosis ◽  
Model Calculations

Squid (Lolliguncula brevis) were exercised at increasing swimming speeds to allow us to analyze the correlated changes in intracellular metabolic, acid-base, and energy status of the mantle musculature. Beyond a critical swimming velocity of 1.5 mantle lengths/s, an intracellular acidosis developed that was caused by an initial base loss from the cells, the onset of respiratory acidification, and, predominantly, octopine formation. The acidosis was correlated with decreasing levels of phospho-L-arginine and, thus, supported ATP buffering at the expense of the phosphagen. Monohydrogenphosphate, the actual substrate of glycogen phosphorylase accumulated, enabling glycogen degradation, despite progressive acidosis. In addition to octopine, succinate, and glycerophosphate accumulation, the onset of acidosis characterizes the critical velocity and indicates the transition to a non-steady-state time-limited situation. Accordingly, swimming above the critical velocity caused cellular energy levels (in vivo Gibbs free energy change of ATP hydrolysis) to fall. A minimal value was reached at about -45 kJ/mol. Model calculations demonstrate that changes in free Mg2+ levels only minimally affect ATP free energy, but minimum levels are relevant in maintaining functional concentrations of Mg(2+)-complexed adenylates. Model calculations also reveal that phosphagen breakdown enabled L. brevis to reach swimming speeds about three times higher than the critical velocity. Comparison of two offshore squid species (Loligo pealei and Illex illecebrosus) with the estuarine squid L.brevis indicates that the latter uses a strategy to delay the exploitation of high-energy phosphates and protect energy levels at higher than the minimum levels (-42 kJ/mol) characterizing fatigue in the other species. A more economical use of anaerobic resources and an early reduction in performance may enable L. brevis to tolerate more extreme environmental conditions in shallow estuarine waters and even hypoxic environments and to prevent a fatal depletion of energy stores.

scholarly journals Maximum Entropy Production Theorem for Transitions between Enzyme Functional States and Its Applications

Entropy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davor Juretić ◽  
Juraj Simunić ◽  
Željana Bonačić Lošić
Keyword(s):  
Free Energy ◽  
Entropy Production ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Triosephosphate Isomerase ◽  
Biological Evolution ◽  
Maximal Entropy ◽  
Total Entropy ◽  
Functional States ◽  
Rate Limiting ◽  
Total Entropy Production

Transitions between enzyme functional states are often connected to conformational changes involving electron or proton transport and directional movements of a group of atoms. These microscopic fluxes, resulting in entropy production, are driven by non-equilibrium concentrations of substrates and products. Maximal entropy production exists for any chosen transition, but such a maximal transitional entropy production (MTEP) requirement does not ensure an increase of total entropy production, nor an increase in catalytic performance. We examine when total entropy production increases, together with an increase in the performance of an enzyme or bioenergetic system. The applications of the MTEP theorem for transitions between functional states are described for the triosephosphate isomerase, ATP synthase, for β-lactamases, and for the photochemical cycle of bacteriorhodopsin. The rate-limiting steps can be easily identified as those which are the most efficient in dissipating free-energy gradients and in performing catalysis. The last step in the catalytic cycle is usually associated with the highest free-energy dissipation involving proton nanocurents. This recovery rate-limiting step can be optimized for higher efficiency by using corresponding MTEP requirements. We conclude that biological evolution, leading to increased optimal catalytic efficiency, also accelerated the thermodynamic evolution, the synergistic relationship we named the evolution-coupling hypothesis.

scholarly journals A thermodynamically consistent model of finite-state machines

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 20180037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Chu ◽  
Richard E. Spinney
Keyword(s):  
Markov Chains ◽  
Entropy Production ◽  
Error Probability ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Finite State Machines ◽  
State Machines ◽  
Consistent Model ◽  
Resource Requirements ◽  
Finite State ◽  
Time Required

Finite-state machines (FSMs) are a theoretically and practically important model of computation. We propose a general, thermodynamically consistent model of FSMs and characterize the resource requirements of these machines. We model FSMs as time-inhomogeneous Markov chains. The computation is driven by instantaneous manipulations of the energy levels of the states. We calculate the entropy production of the machine, its error probability, and the time required to complete one update step. We find that a sequence of generalized bit-setting operations is sufficient to implement any FSM.

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