Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2025

Reliably Engineering and Controlling Stable Optogenetic Gene Circuits in Mammalian Cells
Published on: July 6, 2021
Stochastic switching of delayed feedback suppresses oscillations in genetic regulatory systems
Bhargav R Karamched1,2,3, Christopher E Miles4
1Department of Mathematics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA.
Abstract:
Delays and stochasticity have both served as crucially valuable ingredients in mathematical descriptions of control, physical and biological systems. In this work, we investigate how explicitly dynamical stochasticity in delays modulates the effect of delayed feedback. To do so, we consider a hybrid model where stochastic delays evolve by a continuous-time Markov chain, and between switching events, the system of interest evolves via a deterministic delay equation. Our main contribution is the calculation of an effective delay equation in the fast switching limit. This effective equation maintains the influence of all subsystem delays and cannot be replaced with a single effective delay. To illustrate the relevance of this calculation, we investigate a simple model of stochastically switching delayed feedback motivated by gene regulation. We show that sufficiently fast switching between two oscillatory subsystems can yield stable dynamics.
Related Concept Videos
Global Regulatory Systems
Cell Signaling Feedback Loops
Negative feedback loops
Most signaling systems have negative feedback loops that can perform different functions such as output limiter, and adaptation.
Output limiter
Upon receiving an input signal, the cellular response rapidly increases until a threshold is reached. Beyond this threshold, a negative feedback loop...
Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
Feedback Inhibition
Constitutive and Regulated Gene Expression
Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps

