Nearly all cells in the body contain the same DNA sequences and the same genes. However, the genes are activated at different times in different cells, which requires that they be turned on or off at the right time. This means that cells need to be able to govern gene activity at the right level, which can be more or less crucial to their condition and survival. However, from the moment a gene is turned on or off, it takes some time before the genetic information is translated to a functional protein, making this governance complicated.
“It’s a bit like finding the right temperature in the shower. First you turn on too much hot water because it feels cold, and then it gets too hot, so you lower the temperature too much, since it takes time for the change to be noticed,” says Johan Elf, a researcher at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.
What’s more, the activity and governing of genes occurs partly at random, which previously made it difficult to analyze the consequences of time delays. With the new theory it is possible to study how the combination of time delays and randomness interacts in biochemical reactions, making possible a better understanding of why the regulatory system of cells looks the way it does and how it can go wrong when it fails.
The practical applications of the discovery will be a more detailed understanding of gene regulation, which in the long term may yield a better understanding of diseases that are caused by problems in the control function of cells.
The study was performed at the Uppsala University Center for Interdisciplinary Mathematics, and the researchers represent three different academic disciplines: applied mathematics (Andreas Grönlund), IT (Per Lötstedt), and cell and molecular biology (Johan Elf).
For more information please contact: Johan Elf, academy research fellow at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, phone: +46 (0)18-471 46 78, johan.elf@icm.uu.se
22 September, 2023 - Uppsala universitet
Turnout in the general elections in 2022 fell more sharply in electoral districts that had long queues to the polling stations than in comparable districts without queuing issues. Queuing can only explain a small part of the decrease in turnout between the years 2018 and 2022, however. 87 percent of the population voted in 2018, which fell to 84 percent in 2022.
19 September, 2023 - Uppsala universitet
Stacy VanDeveer, professor in Global Governance and Human Security at the University of Massachusetts Boston becomes visiting professor in Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University. The ten-years series of visiting professorships is financed by a previous donation to Uppsala University by alumnus Niklas Zennström and Catherine Zennström through their foundation Zennström Philanthropies.
19 September, 2023 - Uppsala universitet
Stacy VanDeveer, professor i Global Governance and Human Security vid University of Massachusetts i Boston blir den sjätte gästprofessorn i klimatledarskap vid Uppsala universitet. Den tioåriga gästprofessuren, där en ny professor inbjuds varje eller vartannat år, finansieras genom en tidigare donation av entreprenören Niklas Zennström och hans hustru Catherine Zennström till Uppsala universitet.
11 September, 2023 - Uppsala universitet
Horizon Europe, the European Union’s research initiative, announces €150 million funding for Battery 2030+, an initiative for developing advanced green battery technology. This signifies a renewed confidence in Battery 2030+ coordinated by Uppsala University, Sweden, with the goal to make Europe the world leader in the development and production of green batteries.
Expertsvar, The Swedish Research Council, Hantverkargatan 11B, Stockholm SWEDENPhone +46(0)8 546 44 000
P.O. Box 1035, SE-101 38 Stockholm, expertsvar@vr.se
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