Regulation and minimal control motifs

Minimal circuits which just two components, e.g., two regulatory molecules, can lead to complex dynamics. One class leads to oscillations (one activator and one repressor), and we showed that this parallels the nonlinear dynamics of neurons. A different class enables cells with various epigenetic states. Other regulatory motifs, constituted by positive and negative feedback loops, also lead to interesting response dynamics. Note that we can now measure these dynamics with fluorescent proteins in single cells. Thus, a new jargon of oscillators, bistability, and feedback loops is transforming the usual cartoons that were once common in cellular biology not so long ago.

Some readings.

Deconstructing a multiple antibiotic resistance regulation through the quantification of its input function. With D. Bajic, I. Elola, and G. Rodrigo, G (2017). [PDF].

Genetic redundancies enhance information transfer in noisy regulatory circuits. With G. Rodrigo (2016). [HTML].

Antagonistic autoregulation speeds up a homogeneous response in Escherichia coli. With D. Bajic, I. Elola, and G. Rodrigo (2016). [PDF].

On the search for design principles in biological systems. (2012). [PDF].

Trade-offs and noise tolerance in signal detection by genetic circuits. With J. Estrada, and R. Guantes (2010). [HTML].

Multistable decision switches for flexible control of epigenetic differentiation. With R. Guantes (2008). [HTML], [Sup].

Dynamical principles of two-component genetic oscillators. With R. Guantes (2006). [HTML].

Autogenous and non autogenous control of response in a genetic network. With J. Blazquez, and F. M. Camas (2006). [PDF].