Quantitative approaches to the study of bistability in the lac operon of Escherichia coli.
In this paper, the history and importance of the lac operon in the development of molecular and systems biology are briefly reviewed. We start by presenting a description of the regulatory mechanisms in this operon, taking into account the most recent discoveries. Then we offer a survey of the history of the lac operon, including the discovery of its main elements and the subsequent influence on the development of molecular and systems biology. Next the bistable behaviour of the operon is discussed, both with respect to its discovery and its molecular origin. A review of the literature in which this bistable phenomenon has been studied from a mathematical modelling viewpoint is then given. We conclude with some brief remarks.
Santillán
Moisés
M
Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Monterrey, Parque de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica, Apodaca, NL, Mexico. msantillan@cinvestav.mx
Mackey
Michael C
MC
D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D042822:Genomic Instability; D007763:Lac Operon; D008433:Mathematics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008967:Molecular Biology; D049490:Systems Biology
D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C021499:lactose permease