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SUMMARY:Mechanism and function of stochastic pulse regulation - Stephanie 
 Unna
DTSTART:20140502T123000Z
DTEND:20140502T125500Z
UID:TALK51401@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Megan Cooper
DESCRIPTION:With the improvement of single-cell observation techniques it 
 has been found that stochastic processes are vital for many important biol
 ogical functions. However in many cases it is not known how stochasticity 
 in gene regulatory networks give rise to functional behaviours. We are int
 erested in understanding a new type of stochastic gene regulation: frequen
 cy modulated stochastic pulsing which is observed in the expression of bac
 terial alternative sigma factors. Alternative sigma factors control key bi
 ological pathways in bacteria\, such as antibiotic resistance. We aim to c
 haracterise the regulatory architecture necessary for stochastic pulse reg
 ulation\, and to explore the evolutionary benefits it confers to the cell.
  I am taking a quantitative approach by building mathematical models that 
 help us to understand sigma factor pulsing dynamics. From here it is possi
 ble to make predictions and generate hypotheses which we can test in the l
 ab. During my talk I will cover some background of stochastic cellular pro
 cesses\, before talking about the biological evidence we have for stochast
 ic pulse regulation in sigma factor expression. I will then introduce the 
 model that I am working on\, and talk about its validity and findings\, an
 d their implications.
LOCATION:Department of Plant Sciences\, Large Lecture Theatre
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