Steady-state distributions of nascent RNA for general initiation mechanisms
Juraj Szavits-Nossan, Ramon Grima
Abstract
Fluctuations in the number of nascent RNA accurately reflect transcriptional activity. However, mathematical models predicting their distributions are difficult to solve analytically due to their non-Markovian nature stemming from transcriptional elongation. Here we circumvent this problem by deriving an exact relationship between the steady-state distribution of nascent RNA and the distribution of initiation times, which can be computed for any general initiation mechanism described by a set of first-order reactions. We test our theory using simulations and live cell imaging data.
Topics & Concepts
Set (abstract data type)RNAStatistical physicsSteady state (chemistry)Distribution (mathematics)Mechanism (biology)Order (exchange)Markov processComputer scienceMathematicsPhysicsBiologyGeneticsStatisticsChemistryMathematical analysisGeneEconomicsQuantum mechanicsProgramming languagePhysical chemistryFinanceGene Regulatory Network AnalysisRNA and protein synthesis mechanismsGenomics and Chromatin Dynamics