Kinetic logic : a Boolean approach to the analysis of complex regulatory systems : proceedings of the EMBO course "Formal analysis of genetic regulation," held in Brussels, September 6-16, 1977

The E M B 0 course on "Formal Analysis of Genetic Regulation" A course entitled "Formal analysis of Genetic Regulation" was held at the University of Brussels from 6 to 16 September 1977 under the auspices of EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization). As indicated by the title of the book (but not explicitly enough by the title of the course), the main emphasis was put on a dynamic analysis of systems using logical methods, that is, methods in which functions and variables take only a limited number of values - typically two. In this respect, this course was complementary to an EMBO course using continuous methods which was held some months later in Israel by Prof. Segel. People from four very different laboratories took an active part in teaching our course in Brussels : Drs Anne LEUSSLER and Philippe VAN HAM, from the Laboratory of Prof. Jean FLORINE (Laboratoire des Systemes logiques et numeriques, Faculte des Sciences appliquees, Universite Libre de Bruxelles). Dr Stuart KAUFFMAN (Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Philadelphia). Prof. Gregoire NICOLlS (Service de Biophysique Theorique, Faculte des Sciences, Universite Libre de Bruxelles) and his temporary coworker Dr David RIGNEY (presently at the Center for Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics of the University of Texas at Austin, Texas). Front Matter....Pages I-XIII Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Verbal description of two well-documented genetic circuits : the lactose system in the bacterium E. coli, and immunity in bacteriophage lambda....Pages 2-12 The Molar Behavior of Cells in Development....Pages 13-29 Assessing the Probable Regulatory Structures and Dynamics of the Metazoan Genome....Pages 30-60 Front Matter....Pages 61-61 Combinational systems....Pages 62-85 Sequential Systems....Pages 86-106 Kinetic logic : a boolean analysis of the dynamic behaviour of control circuits....Pages 107-126 The dynamic behaviour of boolean systems comprising feedback loops....Pages 127-142 Delphin : a logical machine with incrementable phase delays....Pages 143-148 Computer Programs for simulation of logical models....Pages 149-163 Net structures for sequential logic....Pages 164-176 Front Matter....Pages 177-177 Mathematical Aspects of Biological Regulatory Processes....Pages 178-211 On the Relation between Boolean Methods and the Theory of Finite Markov Chains....Pages 212-236 Stochastic Models of Cellular Variability....Pages 237-280 Comparative analysis of negative loops by continuous, boolean and stochastic approaches....Pages 281-325 How to deal with variables with more than two levels....Pages 326-343 General discussion on the simplifying assumptions in methods using logical, stochastic or differential equations ; the ranges of applicability and the complementarity of the approches....Pages 345-352 Front Matter....Pages 353-353 Some biological examples....Pages 354-401 Boolean Formalism and Urban Development....Pages 402-439 Numerical Models of Oscillating Genetic Signals....Pages 440-463 A Model for the Achievement of Accuracy in Biology and Economy....Pages 464-472 Front Matter....Pages 353-353 Serial Thresholds and Homeotic Variation....Pages 473-480 An Application of Catastrophe Theory to the Study of a Switch in Dictyostelium Discoideum....Pages 481-501 Boolean approach of a prey-predator system....Pages 502-507 Back Matter....Pages 508-510