Center for Models of Life
Niels Bohr Institute
University of Copenhagen
Blegdamsvej 17
2100 Copenhagen Ø
Ph:   +45 353 25260
Fax:  +45 353 25425
Mail:  cmolnbi.dk
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Molecular switches and epigenetics

Cells carry information handed down from their ancestors and are able to pass on information to their descendants. In many cases this ``memory" is epigenetic -- not stored in the DNA sequence -- allowing cells with identical DNA to maintain distinct properties. Epigenetic cell memory implies alternative states that are stable over time and are inherited through cell division. Mechanism for epigenetic cell memory invokes positive feedback loops, either on genes with mutual repression or, for eucaryotes, through recruited modifications of DNA bound nucleosomes.

Publications

E. Aurell and K. Sneppen
Epigenetics as a first exit problem
Phys. Rev. Lett 88 (2002)
cond-mat/0103080

E. Aurell, S. Brown, J. Johansen, K. Sneppen
Stability puzzles in lambda phage
Phys. Rev. E 65 (2002)
cond-mat/0010286

Sneppen K, Dodd IB, Shearwin KE, Palmer AC, Schubert RA, Callen BP, Egan JB
A mathematical model for transcriptional interference by RNA polymerase traffic in Escherichia coli
J. Mol. Biol. 346 (2005)

Ala Trusina, Kim Sneppen, I.B. Dodd, K.E. Shearwin and J.B. Egan.
Functional alignment of regulatory networks: A study of temerate phages
Plos Computational Biology 1 (2005)
q-bio.MN/0511047

Ian B. Dodd, Mille A. Micheelsen, Kim Sneppen and Geneviève Thon
Theoretical Analysis of Epigenetic Cell Memory by Nucleosome Modification
Cell 129 (2007)

Kim Sneppen, Mille A Micheelsen & Ian B Dodd
Ultrasensitive gene regulation by positive feedback loops in nucleosome modification
Molecular Systems Biology 4 (2008)

Hiizu Nakanishi, Margit Pedersen, Anne K. Alsing and Kim Sneppen
Modeling of the Genetic Switch of Bacteriophage TP901-1: A Heteromer of CI and MOR Ensures Robust Bistability
J. Mol. Biol. 394 (2009)
0908.4145