Wong Albert S Y, Huck Wilhelm T S
Institute for Molecular Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Beilstein J Org Chem. 2017 Jul 28;13:1486-1497. doi: 10.3762/bjoc.13.147. eCollection 2017.
A new discipline of "systems chemistry" is emerging, which aims to capture the complexity observed in natural systems within a synthetic chemical framework. Living systems rely on complex networks of chemical reactions to control the concentration of molecules in space and time. Despite the enormous complexity in biological networks, it is possible to identify network motifs that lead to functional outputs such as bistability or oscillations. To truly understand how living systems function, we need a complete understanding of how chemical reaction networks (CRNs) create function. We propose the development of a bottom-up approach to design and construct CRNs where we can follow the influence of single chemical entities on the properties of the network as a whole. Ultimately, this approach should allow us to not only understand such complex networks but also to guide and control their behavior.
一门名为“系统化学”的新学科正在兴起，其旨在在合成化学框架内捕捉自然系统中观察到的复杂性。生命系统依靠复杂的化学反应网络来控制分子在空间和时间上的浓度。尽管生物网络极其复杂，但仍有可能识别出导致双稳态或振荡等功能输出的网络基序。为了真正理解生命系统是如何运作的，我们需要全面了解化学反应网络（CRNs）是如何创造功能的。我们提议开发一种自下而上的方法来设计和构建CRNs，在这种方法中，我们可以追踪单个化学实体对整个网络性质的影响。最终，这种方法不仅应使我们能够理解此类复杂网络，还能指导和控制它们的行为。
