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The robustness of the transcriptional response to alterations in morphogenetic gradients.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Veitia, RA; Nijhout, HF
Published in: BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology
March 2006

Sharp sigmoidal transitions of transcription in response to morphogenetic gradients are often involved in the generation of boundaries during development. Here we explore two simple models of transcription that generate sigmoidal outputs. Specifically, we analyse the case of a promoter responding to a single type of activator. We then consider a model where an activator and an inhibitor, distributed as two gradients with opposite slopes, act competitively on the same promoter. This system can produce a sharper response than that obtained with a promoter with the same number of binding sites responding to a similar gradient of activator alone. We also explore how these systems buffer the effect of variations in the dosage of the morphogens. Our results highlight how non-linearities can be a source of robustness and the crucial role of the inhibitor in the generation of a sharp and robust response.

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Published In

BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology

DOI

EISSN

1521-1878

ISSN

0265-9247

Publication Date

March 2006

Volume

28

Issue

3

Start / End Page

282 / 289

Related Subject Headings

  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Morphogenesis
  • Models, Genetic
  • Developmental Biology
  • Chemotactic Factors
  • Animals
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
 

Citation

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Veitia, R. A., & Nijhout, H. F. (2006). The robustness of the transcriptional response to alterations in morphogenetic gradients. BioEssays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, 28(3), 282–289. https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.20377
Veitia, Reiner A., and H Frederik Nijhout. “The robustness of the transcriptional response to alterations in morphogenetic gradients.BioEssays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology 28, no. 3 (March 2006): 282–89. https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.20377.
Veitia RA, Nijhout HF. The robustness of the transcriptional response to alterations in morphogenetic gradients. BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology. 2006 Mar;28(3):282–9.
Veitia, Reiner A., and H. Frederik Nijhout. “The robustness of the transcriptional response to alterations in morphogenetic gradients.BioEssays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, vol. 28, no. 3, Mar. 2006, pp. 282–89. Epmc, doi:10.1002/bies.20377.
Veitia RA, Nijhout HF. The robustness of the transcriptional response to alterations in morphogenetic gradients. BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology. 2006 Mar;28(3):282–289.
Journal cover image

Published In

BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology

DOI

EISSN

1521-1878

ISSN

0265-9247

Publication Date

March 2006

Volume

28

Issue

3

Start / End Page

282 / 289

Related Subject Headings

  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Morphogenesis
  • Models, Genetic
  • Developmental Biology
  • Chemotactic Factors
  • Animals
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences