TABLE II.
Performance compared to pre-existing models for biofilament assembly featuring primary nucleation, elongation, and secondary processes. ✓ indicates improvement and ≈ indicates little difference. No models have previously been derived for biofilament assembly via a catalytic primary nucleation process, but earlier models do exist in which either elongation or secondary nucleation is catalytic. In every case, it is found that the general model derived in this paper is superior to these previous specialized models, either in accuracy or in mathematical simplicity (or in both). The most notable improvement is in our description of biofilament formation with secondary nucleation and catalytic elongation for which the previous model gave a comparatively poor description. See Appendix C for full details. Note that many other combinations of reaction processes have never previously been modeled but can also be accurately described by our new approach.
| Earlier model | Reaction steps | Improvement in accuracy? | Improvement in model simplicity? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reference 11 | 1° nucleation; elongation; fragmentation | ✓ | ≈ |
| Reference 13 | 1° nucleation; elongation; 2° nucleation | ≈ | ✓ |
| Reference 25 | 1° nucleation; elongation; 2° nucleation | ✓ | ≈ |
| Reference 16 | 1° nucleation; catalytic elongation; fragmentation | ≈ | ✓ |
| Reference 16 | 1° nucleation; catalytic elongation; 2° nucleation | ✓ ✓ | ✓ |
| Reference 10 | 1° nucleation; elongation; catalytic 2° nucleation | ✓ | ✓ |