Epigenetics meets mathematics: towards a quantitative understanding of chromatin biology.
How fast? How strong? How many? So what? Why do numbers matter in biology? Chromatin binding proteins are forever in motion, exchanging rapidly between bound and free pools. How do regulatory systems whose components are in constant flux ensure stability and flexibility? This review explores the application of quantitative and mathematical approaches to mechanisms of epigenetic regulation. We discuss methods for measuring kinetic parameters and protein quantities in living cells, and explore the insights that have been gained by quantifying and modelling dynamics of chromatin binding proteins.
Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA), Vienna, Austria.
Philipp A
PA
Steffen
João P
JP
Fonseca
Leonie
L
Ringrose
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D013269:Stochastic Processes
D002843:Chromatin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins