Steady-state models of glucose-perturbed Dictyostelium discoideum.

Young sorocarps of Dictyostelium discoideum were incubated in the presence of 50 mM [14C]glucose, and nine metabolites were isolated over a period of 60 min to determine their specific radioactivity. The program TFLUX was used to construct models consisting of 17 metabolite pools and 40 reactions (excluding external pools). Net glucose uptake was 10% or less in the two experiments chosen for extensive analysis, and a single steady-state model was adequate to describe the data in both cases. Despite differences in metabolite levels, flux, and labeling kinetics, the models of glucose-perturbed metabolism confirm earlier conclusions regarding metabolic compartments.