Computational Investigations of Noise-mediated Cell Population Dynamics

Abstract

Fluctuations, or "noise", can play a key role in determining the behaviour of living systems. The molecular-level fluctuations that occur in genetic networks are of particular importance. Here, noisy gene expression can result in genetically identical cells displaying significant variation in phenotype, even in identical environments. This variation can act as a basis for natural selection and provide a fitness benefit to cell populations under stress.

This thesis focuses on the development of new conceptual knowledge about how gene expression noise and gene network topology influence drug resistance, as well as new simulation techniques to better understand cell population dynamics. Network topology may at first seem disconnected from expression noise, but genes in a network regulate each other through their expression products. The topology of a genetic network can thus amplify or attenuate noisy inputs from the environment and influence the expression characteristics of genes serving as outputs to the network.

The main body of the thesis consists of five chapters:

1. A published review article on the physical basis of cellular individuality.

2. A published article presenting a novel method for simulating the dynamics of cell populations.

3. A chapter on modeling and simulating replicative aging and competition using an object-oriented framework.

4. A published research article establishing that noise in gene expression can facilitate adaptation and drug resistance independent of mutation.

5. An article submitted for publication demonstrating that gene network topology can affect the development of drug resistance.

These chapters are preceded by a comprehensive introduction that covers essential concepts and theories relevant to the work presented.