B. Hernandez-bermejo et al., Power-law modeling based on least-squares criteria: consequences for system analysis and simulation, MATH BIOSCI, 167(2), 2000, pp. 87-107
The power-law formalism was initially derived as a Taylor series approximat
ion in logarithmic space for kinetic rate-laws. The resulting models, eithe
r as generalized mass action (GMA) or as S-systems models, allow to charact
erize the target system and to simulate its dynamical behavior in response
to external perturbations and parameter changes. This approach has been suc
cesfully used as a modeling tool in many applications from cell metabolism
to population dynamics. Without leaving the general formalism, we recently
proposed to derive the power-law representation in an alternative way that
uses least-squares (LS) minimization instead of the traditional derivation
based on Taylor series [B. Hernandez-Bermejo, V. Fairen, A. Sorribas, Math.
Biosci. 161 (1999) 83-94]. It was shown that the resulting LS power-law mi
mics the target rate-law in a wider range of concentration values than the
classical power-law, and that the prediction of the steady-state using the
LS power-law is closer to the actual steady-state of the target system. How
ever, many implications of this alternative approach remained to be establi
shed. We explore some of them in the present work. Firstly, we extend the d
efinition of the LS power-law within a given operating interval in such a w
ay that no preferred operating point is selected. Besides providing an alte
rnative to the classical Taylor power-law, that can be considered a particu
lar case when the operating interval is reduced to a single point, the LS p
ower-law so defined is consistent with the results that can be obtained by
fitting experimental data points. Secondly, we show that the LS approach le
ads to a system description, either as an S-system or a GMA model, in which
the systemic properties (such as the steady-state prediction or the log-ga
ins) appear averaged over the corresponding interval when compared with the
properties that can be computed from Taylor-derived models in different op
erating points within the considered operating range. Finally, we also show
that the LS description leads to a global, accurate description of the sys
tem when it is submitted to external forcing. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc
. All rights reserved.