Intrinsic Uncertainty in Gene Regulation Network

Abstract

Regulation of gene expression is the fundamental biological process through which a variety of cell functions are organized and executed ([9],[12]). Due to recent advance of molecular biology, a number of gene regulatory networks have been identified which are capable of executing important tasks such as signal transduction, switching, homeostasis, rhythm generation, developmental pattern formation and so on. They are surprizingly complex and highly sophisticated. Even a simple network of metabolic pathway in Escherichia coli is complex enough to be comparable with the most advanced man-made control system in industry. Theoretical research to understand the underlying principle of gene regulation mechanism has been quite active in the last few decades, and successfully enhanced our understanding of the network operations through the notions of positive and negative feedbacks, robustness, time-delay, stability, bifurcation and so on. However, nonlinearity and complexity which represent fundamental characteristic features of life phenomena have been insurmountable obstacles for getting in-depth inderslanding of gene regulating networks beyond modelling/simulation paradigm.