Dynamics of a continuous culture with catalysis of the growth-limiting substrate by an enzyme of the cells (Q788667)

The growth of cells is described in a well-mixed continuous culture where the supply of the growth-limiting nutrient depends on the activity of an enzyme outside the cell membrane. The model is \[ (1)\quad \dot S=D(S_ r-S)-\nu(S)x,\quad \dot P=\nu(S)x-DP-\mu(P)x/Y,\quad \dot x=\mu(P)x-Dx. \] Here S and P are the concentrations of the substrate and the product of a particular enzyme and x is the quantity of cells. The substrate is pumped into the vessel at rate \(D\in {\mathbb{R}}^+_ o\) with concentration \(S_ r\in {\mathbb{R}}^+_ o\). \(Y\in {\mathbb{R}}^+\) is the product yield. It is assumed that \(\nu\in {\mathcal C}^ 2({\mathbb{R}}^+_ o,{\mathbb{R}}^+_ o)\), \(\nu(O)=O\), \(\nu '>O\), \(\sup \nu <\infty\), \(\nu ''\leq 2{\nu '}^ 2/\nu\); \(\mu\in {\mathcal C}^ 1({\mathbb{R}}^+_ o,{\mathbb{R}}^+_ o)\), \(\mu(O)=O\), \(\mu '>O\), sup \(\mu <\infty.\) If Michaelis-Menten-type functions are taken as \(\nu\) and \(\mu\), then these conditions are fulfilled. It is shown that the set \(\{(S,P,x)\in({\mathbb{R}}^+_ o)^ 3| S+P+x/Y=S_ r\}\) is an invariant exponentially attractive set of (1), if only D, the dilution rate, is positive. In every case all trajectories tend to an equilibrium state.