Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 21, 2026

A Toolkit to Enable Hydrocarbon Conversion in Aqueous Environments
Published on: October 2, 2012
A model for the expression of gap genes based on the Jeffreys-type equation
Igor A Gula1, Alexander M Samsonov2
1The Ioffe Physical Technical Institute, St. Petersburg, 194021 Russia and State Polytechnical University, St. Petersburg, 195251 Russia.
Motivation:
We propose the third-order model equation of the Jeffreys type for concentrations of gap gene proteins in order to take into account particle inertia. Gap genes are responsible for formation of body segments in Drosophila melanogaster embryo during its early development. Usually the expression of the genes is described by the model of protein transport based on conventional diffusion equation. However, the model is known to govern the Brownian (non-inertial) motion of particles; hence, it is hardly applicable to the description of protein transport.
Results:
Analysis of the Jeffreys-type equation results in the necessary condition for the problem to be well-posed. Application of the Jeffreys-type equation with non-linear terms to description of the dynamics of gap gene network demonstrates better fitting to experimental data than the conventional model.
Availability And Implementation:
Implementation of solver algorithms and the software are freely available from: https://github.com/wswgG/solver-for-the-Jeffreys-type-equations-system .
Related Concept Videos
Exponential Equations for Modeling Growth
What is Gene Expression?
Gene expression is the process in which DNA directs the synthesis of functional products, that is, proteins. Cells can regulate gene expression at various stages. It allows organisms to generate different cell types and enables cells to adapt to internal and external factors.
Genetic Information Flows from DNA to RNA to Protein
A gene is a stretch of DNA that serves as the blueprint for functional RNAs and proteins. Since DNA is made up of nucleotides and proteins consist of amino...
What is Gene Expression?
What is Gene Expression?
Reporter Genes
Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps

