Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics of Gene Expression and Transcriptional Regulation
Abstract
In recent times whole-genome gene expression analysis has turned out to be a highly important tool to study the coordinated function of a very large number of genes within their corresponding cellular environment, especially in relation to phenotypic diversity and disease. A wide variety of methods of quantitative analysis has been developed to cope with high throughput data sets generated by gene expression profiling experiments. Due to the complexity associated with transcriptomics, especially in the case of gene regulation phenomena, most of these methods are of a probabilistic or statistical nature. Even if these methods have reached a central status in the development of an integrative, systematic understanding of the associated biological processes, they very rarely constitute a concrete guide to the actual physicochemical mechanisms behind biological function, and the role of these methods is more on a hypotheses generating line. An important improvement could lie in the development of a thermodynamic theory for gene expression and transcriptional regulation that will build the foundations for a proper integration of the vast amount of molecular biophysical data and could lead, in the future, to a systemic view of genetic transcription and regulation.
© 2009 Walter de Gruyter · Berlin · New York
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Acknowledgement
- Index of Authors
- Analytical Subject Index Volume 34
- Contents of Volume 34 (2009)
- Different Thermodynamic Theories and Different Heat Conduction Laws
- Exergy Transfer Analysis of Forced Convection in External Flow over a Flat Plate
- On Diffusion and Permeation
- Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics of Gene Expression and Transcriptional Regulation
- “Hydrodynamic Fluctuations in Fluids and Fluid Mixtures” by J. Ortiz de Zárate and J.V. Sengers
- “Understanding Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics” by G. Lebon, D. Jou and J. Casas-Vázquez
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Acknowledgement
- Index of Authors
- Analytical Subject Index Volume 34
- Contents of Volume 34 (2009)
- Different Thermodynamic Theories and Different Heat Conduction Laws
- Exergy Transfer Analysis of Forced Convection in External Flow over a Flat Plate
- On Diffusion and Permeation
- Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics of Gene Expression and Transcriptional Regulation
- “Hydrodynamic Fluctuations in Fluids and Fluid Mixtures” by J. Ortiz de Zárate and J.V. Sengers
- “Understanding Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics” by G. Lebon, D. Jou and J. Casas-Vázquez
