Exploitation of Feedback in Enzyme-catalysed Reactions

Some cellular systems, such as yeast, bacteria and slime mould, display dynamic behavior including switches and rhythms driven by feedback in enzyme-catalysed reactions. The mechanisms of these processes have been well investigated and recent attention has turned to generating similar responses in synthetic biocatalytic systems, with a view to creating bioinspired analogues for applications. Here we discuss how feedback arises in the reaction mechanisms of some enzyme-catalyzed reactions in vitro, the behaviour obtained and the emerging applications. These autocatalytic reactions may provide insights into behaviour in cellular systems as well as new methods for drug delivery, sensing and repair that can be exploited in living systems.