TitlePhysical bioenergetics: Energy fluxes, budgets, and constraints in cells.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsYang X, Heinemann M, Howard J, Huber G, Iyer-Biswas S, Le Treut G, Lynch M, Montooth KL, Needleman DJ, Pigolotti S, Rodenfels J, Ronceray P, Shankar S, Tavassoly I, Thutupalli S, Titov DV, Wang J, Foster PJ
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Volume118
Issue26
Date Published2021 Jun 29
ISSN1091-6490
Abstract

Cells are the basic units of all living matter which harness the flow of energy to drive the processes of life. While the biochemical networks involved in energy transduction are well-characterized, the energetic costs and constraints for specific cellular processes remain largely unknown. In particular, what are the energy budgets of cells? What are the constraints and limits energy flows impose on cellular processes? Do cells operate near these limits, and if so how do energetic constraints impact cellular functions? Physics has provided many tools to study nonequilibrium systems and to define physical limits, but applying these tools to cell biology remains a challenge. Physical bioenergetics, which resides at the interface of nonequilibrium physics, energy metabolism, and cell biology, seeks to understand how much energy cells are using, how they partition this energy between different cellular processes, and the associated energetic constraints. Here we review recent advances and discuss open questions and challenges in physical bioenergetics.

DOI10.1073/pnas.2026786118
Alternate JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PubMed ID34140336