Thermodynamic free energy map for the non-oxidative glycolysis pathways

Abstract

Designing reaction pathways that maximize the production of a target compound in a given metabolic network is a fundamental problem in systems biology. In this study, we systematically explore the non-oxidative glycolysis metabolic network, guided by the principle that reactions with negative Gibbs free energy differences are thermodynamically favored. We enumerate alternative pathways that implement the net non-oxidative glycolysis reaction, categorized by their length. Our analysis reveals several alternative thermodynamically favorable pathways beyond those reported in experiments. In addition, we identify molecules within the network, such as 3-hydroxypropionic acid, that may have significant potential for further investigation.