Chinese researchers have decoded the metabolic cycle of yeast using mathematical analysis, revealing striking parallels with the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang.
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The study, led by Professor Li Lei from the Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, redefines the understanding of metabolic phases in this single-celled eukaryote – one of the smallest model organisms used in the study of molecular life mechanisms.
While yeast metabolism has long been studied as a three-stage process, Li’s team chose to use mathematical tools to reorganise it into four distinct yet interconnected phases.
“These four phases aren’t isolated; they overlap and transition sequentially over time,” Li said in an interview with the Post on Tuesday. “Specific molecular mechanisms trigger the next phase while suppressing others – mirroring the concept of mutual promotion and restraint, known as xiang sheng xiang ke in traditional Chinese medicine.”
In the team’s work published in March in the peer-reviewed journal NAR Genomics and Bioinformatics, Li explained how the four phases – named 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B – each reflected a unique metabolic state.
Similarly, in traditional Chinese medicine, the “four symbols”, or si xiang, theory provides a way to understand the natural world and the human body using four main principles. It’s all about finding balance between passive and active forces – yin and yang – to keep everything healthy and harmonious. Between the yin and yang, there are two transitional phases, bringing the total to four.