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【摘要】

Quantitative frameworks of microbial physiology have been established based on batch culture level experiments and mathematical models from static aspects. However, biological systems are inherently dynamic. The recent development of single-cell level measurements has revealed significant temporal and population variations in intracellular states. To capture such intriguing single-cell level behavior, we need to develop quantitative theories for the dynamics of cellular physiology. We have studied the stability and response to external perturbations of several kinetic models of E. coli metabolism. I would like to present the following three points that we have learned from the kinetic models: (i) Stabilizing a steady state consistent with experimental results is not an easy task. (ii) Even models with stable steady states show strong responses to external perturbations due to energy cofactor dynamics and network sparsity. (iii) The "point of no return" can be quantified from the "death"-like behavior of the kinetic model.