Oscillatory metabolism of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: an overview of mechanisms and models.

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae displays steady oscillations in continuous cultures under certain conditions. Oscillatory responses are important both metabolically and in process applications. Although much information has become available, a definitive theory to explain and model these oscillations is yet to be formulated. Models of oscillatory cultivation have focussed primarily either on intracellular reactions or on transport processes coupled to substantially lumped intracellular kinetics. This review discusses the development of the models and the directions they provide for a comprehensive model of oscillatory metabolism.