From owner-metabolic-reg@net.bio.net Mon Sep 20 23:00:00 1993 Path: biosci!daresbury!doc.ic.ac.uk!uknet!festival!castle.ed.ac.uk!eanv20 From: eanv20@castle.ed.ac.uk (John Woods) Newsgroups: bionet.metabolic-reg Subject: archive/FAQ Keywords: archive, FAQ Message-ID: Date: 21 Sep 93 13:00:43 GMT References: <1993Sep20.151228.1749@dxcern.cern.ch> Sender: news@festival.ed.ac.uk (remote news read deamon) Organization: Edinburgh University Lines: 136 sendall@dxpt01.cern.ch (Mike Sendall) writes: I recently subscribed to this newsgroup, but I understand that there was an email list before this, that I hadn't subscribed to (maybe it was btk-mca). Could anyone tell me where there is an archive of that mailing list? prm@aber.ac.uk (Pedro Mendes) writes: I hear that John Woods has the archive of the email list (btk-mca) stored in the FTP server darwin.brookes.ac.uk, which also contains software for simulation and analysis of metabolic regulation. Have a look in there, I'm not sure if the archive is there on-line (John, can you confirm this?) There isn't one yet, but we should start one (if wasn't too busy writing my thesis I'd volunteer. As it is, I can't even think about it!!) ----- Darwin is up! But it is called bmsdarwin.brookes.ac.uk, 161.73.104.10. Please feel free to log on and look round at any time. The mailing list archive isn't yet up to date (I should be writing my thesis too!) but it will be by the end of this week. Nevertheless, there should be enough there to start you off. As for the FAQ, it's going to have to be a joint effort. I'm starting it off (officially :-) as of now. ********************************************************************** bionet.metabolic-reg/BTK-MCA FAQ Discussion draft. Please treat this document as the straw man it is intended to be --- alterations and disccussion are urgently requested. NB: I'm half-serious about the last sentence in point four. If there are enough objections I'll remove it, but I'd really rather not get into philosophical nitpicking that might discourage future readers who are more interested in biochemistry than semantics. Not yet, anyway. ********************************************************************** Section 1 --- about the newsgroup. 1.0) What is a FAQ? An FAQ is a listing of Frequently Asked Questions. It is intended to prevent repeated discussion of certain points on the newsgroup and to give newcomers a brief introduction to the scope of the group. 1.1) Where can I get FAQs? There is a machine around called rtfm.*.* (somebody fill in the blanks please) which stocks the FAQs for most newsgroups. But the one for this group isn't ready for inclusion yet, so just watch for its sporadic posting in this group. 1.2) What is bionet.metabolig-reg for? Discussion of topics concerning metabolic regulation, particularly from a quantitive point of view. I quote form our initial charter: ``The International Study Group for BioThermoKinetics is an informal group devoted to the quantitative understanding of the kinetics, thermodynamics and control of biological processes at the cellular level ... BTK meetings are aimed at providing a forum for a vivid exchange of ideas between experimenters with a keen eye for quantitative aspects, theoreticians with a keen eye for the experimental practice and those in between.'' (Preface, Programme for 5th BTK meeting) This mailing list [and newsgroup] is intended to provide not only some continuity between the biennial meetings but also to serve to propagate interest in the subjects covered. Informal participation is welcomed from all fields (and at all levels), and it is particularly, but not exclusively, encouraged in the domain of Metabolic Control Analysis --- the investigation of control in biological systems. 1.3) What is BioThermoKinetics? I'm not really sure :-) Suggestions welcome. Hans? 1.4) What is Metabolic Control Analysis? Metabolic Control Analysis is the investigation into the mechanism and distribution of control in metabolic, and conceivably other biochemical systems. Using certain theorems, it is possible to relate the measurable *in vitro* properties of enzymes and their effectors to the *in vivo* properties which concern us. As far as I am concerned, Metabolic Control Analysis is the activity thus described, whilst Metabolic Control Theory is the theoretical foundation on which it rests. (Very much like systems analysis is something done by people who analyse systems, and systems theory is something done by people who think more about systems analysis itself than the analysis of particular systems). Mileage differs greatly in the newsgroup about this issue, and now I've had my say, further discussion is discouraged. :-) 1.5) What should I read? Try Fell, D. (1992) Biochem J. 286:313-330 for a recent review and the references therein for more introductory material. 1.6) What should I ask? Anything related to metabolic regulation. Give us a try. Section 2 --- about MCT 2.1) What are the fundamental theorems of MCA? 2.2) What is the importance of the theorems in 2.1? Section 3 --- about MCA 3.1) How do I make my yeast glycolize faster? Pump up the PFK? 3.2) Is rubisco rate-limiting? ********************************************************************** Ok, somebody else can get a word in edgeways now. Let's try and get the FAQ to 1000 lines of good quality info. Everything in this draft is up for graps, including section layout and question wording. What do people think? ... John Woods -- " Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit (Virgil) [approx] Tr: The time may come when we will look back on these days and laugh " .