SSPLAXMetabolic Route Screening
A microbial process team is screening two simplified routes for a target chemical. Carbon enters through substrate uptake and glycolysis, then can move through an aerobic/TCA branch or an overflow fermentation branch. The aerobic branch supports more target-product flux but depends on oxygen transfer and cooling. Overflow uses less aeration, but sends more material into byproducts. Both branches pass through the same recovery step.
Which route carries product flux once oxygen transfer, media spend, glycolysis throughput, and product recovery are all active? If aeration increases, does product flux rise, or does another limit take over first?
The template is a small route-screening network: substrate uptake -> glycolysis -> aerobic or overflow -> product recovery -> target product. Edges carry flux in mmol/gDW/hr with route-specific capacity and cost. Constraints cap product flux, media spend, glycolysis throughput, and aerobic capacity; the solve maximizes target-product flux and reports which limits bind.
- Aerobic capacity at O₂ limit
- Media budget 88% used
Aerobic carries flux until oxygen transfer binds. Overflow remains available, but it is not the first route to expand while aerobic capacity still has value. If aeration increases by one step, more flux moves through the aerobic branch.