Manipulation of Stochasticity

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How Stochasticity Influences Synthetic Constructs

Noise in Synthetic Cascades Noise in Feedback Loops

The construction of gene networks proves to be a noisy process, and one difficult to produce a deterministic result. Many labs have tried to characterize sources of expression noise that occur when linking genes together in a network. More specifically, what effect does a noisy or tightly controlled input have on output. Discovering the effects of noise propagation of in genetic cascades has major implications in the field of synthetic biology. From an engineering standpoint, the degree of control over a synthetic system can mean the difference between a synthetic construct's sucess or failure to achieve its purpose (ex. medical applications). Stochasticity has also been theorized to account for disease and development. While significant results are still pending, haploinsufficiency diseases are theorized to arise from stochasticity in gene expression. This is becuase the single functional allele cannot produce the amount of protein needed to keep the body's respective concentration continually above a low threshold state due to the pulsitile nature of mRNA production.

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