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XB-ART-38103
Science 2008 Jul 04;3215885:126-9. doi: 10.1126/science.1156951.
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Robust, tunable biological oscillations from interlinked positive and negative feedback loops.

Tsai TY , Choi YS , Ma W , Pomerening JR , Tang C , Ferrell JE .


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A simple negative feedback loop of interacting genes or proteins has the potential to generate sustained oscillations. However, many biological oscillators also have a positive feedback loop, raising the question of what advantages the extra loop imparts. Through computational studies, we show that it is generally difficult to adjust a negative feedback oscillator's frequency without compromising its amplitude, whereas with positive-plus-negative feedback, one can achieve a widely tunable frequency and near-constant amplitude. This tunability makes the latter design suitable for biological rhythms like heartbeats and cell cycles that need to provide a constant output over a range of frequencies. Positive-plus-negative oscillators also appear to be more robust and easier to evolve, rationalizing why they are found in contexts where an adjustable frequency is unimportant.

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Species referenced: Xenopus laevis

References [+] :
Bean, Coherence and timing of cell cycle start examined at single-cell resolution. 2006, Pubmed