The whole body of experimental and empirical observations on cell metabolism cannot be understood  without their integration into a consistent systematic framework. However, the characterization of metabolic flux phenotypes under a certain environmental condition is typically reduced to the study of a single optimal state, like maximum biomass yield that is by far the most common assumption. Contrarily, here we confront optimal growth solutions to the whole set of feasible flux phenotypes (FFP), which provides a reference map that helps us to assess the likelihood of extreme and high-growth states and their extent of conformity with experimental results. In addition, FFP maps are able to uncover metabolic behaviors, such as aerobic glycolysis in high-growth minimal medium with unlimited oxygen uptake , that are unreachable using  models based on optimality principles. The information content of the full FFP space of metabolic states provides us with an entire map to explore and evaluate metabolic behavior and capabilities, and so it opens new avenues for biotechnological and biomedical applications.
Experimental and empirical observations on cell metabolism cannot be understood as a whole without their integration into a consistent systematic framework. However, the characterization of metabolic flux phenotypes is typically reduced to the study of a single optimal state, like maximum biomass yield that is by far the most common assumption. Here we confront optimal growth solutions to the whole set of feasible flux phenotypes (FFP), which provides a bechmark to assess the likelihood of optimal and high-growth states and their agreement with experimental results. In addition, FFP maps are able to uncover metabolic behaviors, such as aerobic fermentation accompanying exponential growth on sugars at nutrient excess conditions , that are unreachable using standard models based on optimality principles. The information content of the full FFP space provides us with a map to explore and evaluate metabolic behavior and capabilities, and so it opens new avenues for biotechnological and biomedical applications.
R
The whole body of experimental
Experimental
A
as a whole
D
under a certain environmental condition
R
Contrarily, here
Here
R
reference map that helps us
bechmark
R
extreme
optimal
R
extent of conformity
agreement
R
glycolysis in high-growth minimal medium with unlimited oxygen uptake
fermentation accompanying exponential growth on sugars at nutrient excess conditions
A
standard
D
of metabolic states
R
an entire
a