基因自调控环路的功能  

Functions of Gene Autoregulatory Circuits

作　　者：苑占江[1] 张家军[1] 周天寿[1] 

机构地区：[1]中山大学数学与计算科学学院,广州510275

出　　处：《生物物理学报》2010年第6期457-471,共15页Acta Biophysica Sinica

基　　金：国家自然科学基金重点项目(60736028)和面上项目(30973980)~~

摘　　要：作为最简单且最典型的网络模块,基因自调控环路(其构成的反馈调控可以抑制或激活基因自身的表达)广泛存在于生物调控网络中,且是许多生物学功能的产生基础。虽然基因自调控环路很早以前便引起理论生物学家和实验生物学家的广泛关注,但随着对其生物学功能了解的日趋丰富,特别是当考虑细化的基因表达调控过程或更为真实的生物环境时,我们会发现其全新的生物学功能。揭示基因自调控环路的生物学功能是理解更复杂生物调控网络运行机制的基础,可对合成生物学的设计原理提供指导。文章综述了基因自调控模块的最新研究结果,特别讨论了其产生周期振动、双稳及其在信号处理等方面的潜能。Typical and the simplest network architectures in biological networks, gene autoregulatory circuits, where their constitutive feedback regulation may repress or actuate the expression of the gene itself, exist widely in gene regulatory networks, and are the basis of many biological functions. Such regulatory circuits received extensive attention from theoretical and experimental biologists some time ago, but only now their biological functions are gradually revealed. In particular, such autoregulatory circuits exhibit novel biological functions when detailed biological processes and new biological factors are considered. This paper systematically reviews the latest data on biological functions of gene autoregulatory motifs, and explores their potentials to generate oscillation and bistability, and the ability to process signals. Uncovering the functions of autoregulatory motifs is the basis and the first step of understanding mechanisms of more complex biological networks, and also provides guidance for design principles in synthetic biology.

关 键 词：网络模块 自调控环路 刺激-响应关系 振动性 双稳性 

分 类 号：Q615[生物学—生物物理学]