Physics
Exponential sensitivity of noise-driven switching in genetic networks
Document Type
Article
Abstract
There is increasing experimental evidence that cells can utilize biochemical noise to switch probabilistically between distinct gene-expression states. In this paper, we demonstrate that such noise-driven switching is dominated by tails of probability distributions and is therefore exponentially sensitive to changes in physiological parameters such as transcription and translation rates. Exponential sensitivity limits the robustness of noise-driven switching, suggesting cells may use other mechanisms in order to switch reliably. We discuss our results in the context of competence in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd.
Publication Title
Physical Biology
Publication Date
6-2008
Volume
5
Issue
2
ISSN
1478-3967
DOI
10.1088/1478-3975/5/2/026005
Keywords
Bacillus subtilis, biophysics
Repository Citation
Mehta, Pankaj; Mukhopadhyay, Ranjan; and Wingreen, Ned S., "Exponential sensitivity of noise-driven switching in genetic networks" (2008). Physics. 162.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_physics/162
