Applied Mathematics Colloquium

Title: Mathematical insights into the mechanisms of gene transcription from multi and single cell experiment

 Abstract:   Gene transcription is the biological process in which DNA is transcribed to RNA and is central to cellular and organismal biology.  A great wealth of knowledge about how it works has been uncovered over the past half century yet much is still not understood.  Here, I will review some recent theoretical and experimental advances that have allowed us to peer more closely into the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying this marvelously complex process.  In particular, I will focus on steroid-regulated gene transcription, which is of great importance for development, growth, homeostasis, and diseases.  I will show how a theoretical framework where group theory makes a surprising appearance can reconcile seemingly disparate observations from precise quantitative measurements in multi-cellular experiments and dynamical behavior observed in single-cell and single-molecule imaging experiments. The theory also makes specific predictions for the kinetic mechanism and relative site of action for the various known molecules involved.