{
  "abstract": "Additive (a) and dominance (d) gene effects are key to phenotype manifestation. We investigated the relationship between these effects and gene-encoded enzyme rates in an n-step linear metabolic pathway with mass limitation at stationary state out of equilibrium, where internal flux depended on internal enzyme concentrations (Ei, i=1 to n) and external flux on input/output enzyme/transporter concentrations (Ee). Using coupled reversible Michaelis-Menten (MM) equations for Ei rates and irreverisble MM for Ee rates we found that stationary-state metabolite concentration (Si) was a logistic function of Ei. Its inflection point (S0i, E0i) depended on the total mass of the system ({Sigma} Si) and on Ee saturation, shifting from negative to positive values as reaction kinetics transitioned from first to mixed or zero order. Moreover, {Sigma} Si and Ee saturation explained negative, partial, and complete dominance in this metabolic system, provided phenotypic value of trait T is linearly dependent on Si at certain sink. The system was unstable when approaching closure (Ee=0). In this condition, asymptotic Smax equaled equilibrium concentration, being equilibrium displacement the driving force of flux. In pathways with n>1 reaction steps there was a change of regime in early reactions when increments in En passed E0n. This change of regime led to peaks raising at some Si previous to Sn and Sn+1 that were modeled by adding a Gaussian component to the logistic equation. Therefore, if T is determined by some of these Si, overdominance and dominance reversals may be explained. We obtained a good fit when applied this equation to Ei and Si data obtained from silicon-cell models developed with specific kinetic equations and experimentally determined kinetic parameters. In addition, we applied this framework to experimental data on amylose accumulation in starch granules catalyzed by granule-bound starch synthase I, and found that the logistic function fitted data from six plant species. This framework may contribute a partial explanation of the non-linearity between genotype and phenotype from the metabolic standpoint, which may be useful in the future for plant or animal breeding technologies.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata - IBBM-CONICET"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "A. Melgarejo"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. R. Roig"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. S. Ramirez"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "A. R. Lodeiro"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4b5dwhpabm7ns.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.22.761079",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.761079v1.full",
  "id": "4b5dwhpabm7ns",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.761079v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "genetics"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223898460",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.761079v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-22",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4b5dwhpabm7ns.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:29:54Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.22.761079",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.761079v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:genetics",
      "subfield": "genetics-genomics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Additive and dominance gene effects described by a logistic function in concentration-limited metabolic pathways at steady state out of equilibrium",
  "title_text": "Additive and dominance gene effects described by a logistic function in concentration-limited metabolic pathways at steady state out of equilibrium",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:29:54Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/4b5dwhpabm7ns",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}