Basic Phytochrome B Calculations
Robert W Smith1,2, Christian Fleck3,4
1Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Wageningen UR, Wageningen, The Netherlands. robert1.smith@wur.nl.
Abstract:
Mathematical models are important tools in helping us to understand complex biological systems. Models of phytochrome-regulated systems in Arabidopsis thaliana have shown the importance of dimerization, nuclear transport, and thermal/dark reversion in mediating phytochrome activity and plant development. Here we go through the steps required to calculate the steady-state amounts of phytochrome subspecies relative to the total phytochrome molecule population. Starting from a simplified two-state system we expand and apply the technique to the extended phytochrome dimer model. Additionally, we provide a Python package that can automatically calculate the proportion of phytochrome B in a particular state given specific experimental conditions.
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