Models of Life
Dynamics and Regulation in Biological Systems

An overview of current models of biological systems, reflecting the major advances that have been made over the past decade.

Kim Sneppen (Author)

9781107061903, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 2 October 2014

350 pages, 25 b/w illus. 193 colour illus. 5 tables 165 exercises
25.3 x 18 x 2 cm, 0.86 kg

'Sneppen has written a wonderfully friendly and readable book on the principles of biological cells for physicists. He presents concepts and models at a level that is sufficiently deep to convey powerful insights, while keeping the math to the absolutely minimal level that is needed to be clear and informative. This book is pioneering in covering scientific terrain that is largely not covered much elsewhere, but will be in the future - including feedback, regulation, networks, bistability in the lambda-phage switch, DNA looping, diffusion in cells, epigenetic regulation and cellular evolution. I highly recommend it as a deeply insightful book about the principles of biology and a great read.' Ken Dill, Laufer Center, Stony Brook University

Reflecting the major advances that have been made in the field over the past decade, this book provides an overview of current models of biological systems. The focus is on simple quantitative models, highlighting their role in enhancing our understanding of the strategies of gene regulation and dynamics of information transfer along signalling pathways, as well as in unravelling the interplay between function and evolution. The chapters are self-contained, each describing key methods for studying the quantitative aspects of life through the use of physical models. They focus, in particular, on connecting the dynamics of proteins and DNA with strategic decisions on the larger scale of a living cell, using E. coli and phage lambda as key examples. Encompassing fields such as quantitative molecular biology, systems biology and biophysics, this book will be a valuable tool for students from both biological and physical science backgrounds.

Preface
1. Life from a physics perspective
2. E. coli as a model system
3. Dynamics of regulatory links
4. Statistical mechanics of phage ?
5. Diffusion and randomness in transcription
6. Stochastic genes and persistent decisions
7. Gene regulation and epigenetics in cis
8. Feedback circuits
9. Networks
10. Signalling and metabolic networks
11. Agent-based models of signalling and selection
12. Competition and diversity
13. Evolution and extinction
Appendix
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Biology, life sciences [PS], Biophysics [PHVN], Mathematics & science [P]