Biochemical frequency control by synchronisation of coupled repressilators: an in silico study of modules for circadian clock systems

  • Authors:

  • Thomas Hinze;Mathias Schumann;Christian Bodenstein;Ines Heiland;Stefan Schuster

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany;Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany;Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany;Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany;Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany

  • Venue:
  • Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience - Special issue on Selected Papers from the 4th International Conference on Bioinspired Systems and Cognitive Signal Processing
  • Year:
  • 2011

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Abstract

Exploration of chronobiological systems emerges as a growing research field within bioinformatics focusing on various applications in medicine, agriculture, and material sciences. From a systems biological perspective, the question arises whether biological control systems for regulation of oscillatory signals and their technical counterparts utilise similar mechanisms. If so, modelling approaches and parameterisation adopted from building blocks can help to identify general components for frequency control in circadian clocks along with gaining insight into mechanisms of clock synchronisation to external stimuli like the daily rhythm of sunlight and darkness. Phase-locked loops could be an interesting candidate in this context. Both, biology and engineering, can benefit from a unified view resulting from systems modularisation. In a first experimental study, we analyse a model of coupled repressilators. We demonstrate its ability to synchronise clock signals in a monofrequential manner. Several oscillators initially deviate in phase difference and frequency with respect to explicit reaction and diffusion rates. Accordingly, the duration of the synchronisation process depends on dedicated reaction and diffusion parameters whose settings still lack to be sufficiently captured analytically.