Thermodynamically consistent, reduced models of gene regulatory networks

Abstract

Synthetic biology aims to engineer novel functionalities into bi‑ ological systems. While the approach has been predominantly applied to single cells, a richer set of biological phenomena can be engineered by applying synthetic biology to cell popula‑ tions. To rationally design cell populations, we require math‑ ematical models that link between intracellular biochemistry and intercellular interactions. In this study, we develop a ki‑ netic model of gene expression that is suitable for incorporation into agent‑based models of cell populations. To be scalable to large cell populations, models of gene expression should be both computationally efficient and compliant with the laws of physics. ..