Delay-Induced Transient Increase and Heterogeneity in Gene Expression in Negatively Auto-Regulated Gene Circuits
2008

Delay-Induced Changes in Gene Expression in Gene Circuits

Sample size: 10000 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Maithreye R. Sarkar, Ram Rup Parnaik, Veena K. Sinha, Somdatta

Primary Institution: Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CSIR), Hyderabad, India

Hypothesis

The repressor will take relatively longer time to be synthesized in the delay circuit compared to the basic circuit.

Conclusion

Delayed repression leads to a transient increase and heterogeneity in gene expression before stability is achieved.

Supporting Evidence

  • Delayed repression induces transient increase in gene expression.
  • Gene circuits with delay show greater heterogeneity in expression among cells.
  • Both theoretical and experimental results support the overshoot phenomenon in gene expression.

Takeaway

When cells make proteins, sometimes they take a little longer to start, which can make them produce more at first and act differently from each other.

Methodology

The study involved constructing mathematical models and gene circuits to compare the effects of immediate versus delayed repression on gene expression.

Limitations

The theoretical models do not account for realistic details such as cell size variation during growth.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0002972

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