Stochastic kinetics of the circular gene hypothesis: feedback effects and protein fluctuations

TL;DR

This paper compares stochastic models of gene expression, including feedback mechanisms, revealing how feedback influences protein fluctuations and stationary distributions, highlighting the need for further experimental and theoretical research.

Contribution

It introduces a feedback model based on the circular gene hypothesis and compares it with the canonical model using stochastic simulations.

Findings

Feedback affects the shape of stationary distributions.

Protein fluctuations are influenced by feedback mechanisms.

Qualitative and quantitative differences suggest complex kinetic behavior.

Abstract

Stochastic kinetic models of genetic expression are able to describe protein fluctuations. A comparative study of the canonical and a feedback model is given here by using stochastic simulation methods. The feedback model is skeleton model implementation of the circular gene hypothesis, which suggests the interaction between the synthesis and degradation of mRNA. Qualitative and quantitative changes in the shape and in the numerical characteristics of the stationary distributions suggest that more combined experimental and theoretical studies should be done to uncover the details of the kinetic mechanism of gene expression.